tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86950419396683865802017-07-23T03:18:37.309-05:00Tim Boyd's BlogTim Boyd, Lead Pastor
Westside Christian Church - Bradenton, FLTim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.comBlogger263125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-89696205686411196252017-03-31T15:48:00.003-05:002017-03-31T15:48:39.765-05:00My blog has moved!Thanks for finding me! I've moved my blog to <a href="http://www.timboyd.blog/">www.timboyd.blog</a>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-18003001744751746632017-03-14T15:21:00.001-05:002017-03-28T12:20:50.180-05:00What about your real kids? The most effective way to completely ruin your family. A parable for the church.<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Let’s pretend that your family has decided to foster or adopt a child.&nbsp; The child has been in and out of houses and families.&nbsp; You’re a good person - so you want what’s best for that child no matter the cost to you.&nbsp; You also believe that welcoming that child into your family is what’s best for your kids, your spouse, and your marriage.&nbsp; You know it’s going to be super hard and you don’t know what the end result will be.&nbsp; You are scared.&nbsp; You are worried.&nbsp; But you have committed to love this child so that this child will be able to have the best thing a person can have - unconditional love.&nbsp; You want your family to grow in love and showing love to a child who needs it is the way to do this. &nbsp;And baby you are the one who’s going to provide it.&nbsp; It will cost, but you are ready for it.&nbsp; You are willing to walk through the fire.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">So the day comes for that child to join your family.&nbsp; They are dropped off at your house.&nbsp; What do you do?&nbsp; I’m assuming that you will have some sort of plan.&nbsp; If you don’t have a plan you at least have a set of values that you live by that will dictate your words and actions.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m assuming you will spend more time with that child, initially, than your kids that are already in your family.&nbsp; You will allow that child more freedom and will accept much worse speech or behavior.&nbsp; You will have more patience with that child.&nbsp; You will pour more encouragement into that child.&nbsp; You will sit on that child’s bed at night, every night, until they fall asleep and let go of your hand.&nbsp; You will explain to your older children that they must change their lives in order to help this newer child.&nbsp; Yes - it’s not fair.&nbsp; No - you won’t get starbucks as much.&nbsp; Yes - your life is taking on a greater meaning and yes, as your parent, I’m forcing you to grow.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Initially, you will spend more time with that child than your other children.</span></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">You probably won’t take that child into your home and say something like,</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">“Hey there.&nbsp; Thanks for joining us.&nbsp; Feel free to sit here and take it in.&nbsp; I’m going to spend way more time with my real kids okay?&nbsp; You can keep showing up for breakfast and dinner though.&nbsp; You are totally invited for that.&nbsp; Hey who knows?&nbsp; Maybe over time I’ll start to care for you as much as I care for my real kids?&nbsp; Right?&nbsp; I guess we’ll just have to see where this goes.&nbsp; At some point, maybe you will fit in with us and we’ll accept you.&nbsp; But you will need to completely change in behavior, speech, dress, passion, dreams, and….well everything so you can be just like us. &nbsp;Then we will accept you! &nbsp;So won't that be neat?”</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">You probably won’t do that.&nbsp; First of all you wouldn’t do that to a kid who needs love.&nbsp; You wouldn’t do that to a kid who has no sense of security.&nbsp; You couldn’t possibly treat a child like that right?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Secondly, what are you teaching your kids at that point?&nbsp; You are teaching them to be brats. &nbsp;You're teaching them that they are more important than other kids. &nbsp;<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Maybe read that again and see if you catch what I'm getting at their. &nbsp;Do you really want your kids to think that they are better than other kids?)</span></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">One of the biggest questions I got when we were adopting was “Aren’t you worried about not being able to spend enough time with your real kids?”&nbsp; I was also asked many questions akin to that one.&nbsp; “Will you have enough money to take care of your kids and another kid?”&nbsp; “Will your real kids have the same opportunities when you have to spread your money, your time, and your love thinner?”</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">Let me shift scenes....</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Those questions are what ruins churches.&nbsp; And by “ruins churches” what I mean is "questions and attitudes that make churches not actually churches", but nursing homes - nursing homes as in taking care of the “old christians (<span style="font-size: x-small;">not biological age, but time spent as a christian)</span>” and nursing the “baby christians” which, of course, are the exact same people.&nbsp; <span style="font-size: large;">Nursing Christians - the people who are inside of a church and want everything to be catered to them.</span>&nbsp; The people who don’t even think about others.&nbsp; They are the protectors of tradition.&nbsp; They are the preservers of the “way it’s always been.”&nbsp; They could never understand changing something for a new person. &nbsp;A person that's not even here!!!!! &nbsp;A person who would never share their stuff with someone who has only been here a week. &nbsp;A person who can't believe that a Pastor would talk to them when I've been a part of this church for decades! &nbsp;They are the ones who look at the new people as though they are going to ruin things.&nbsp; When in reality they are the ones who have already ruined the church.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;">I'll shift it back...</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSTFDB6PGjw/WNqbT9fnKDI/AAAAAAAABIY/5zzl_yr_Ab0ulGAFEz02-1fdLeDbwLLQwCLcB/s1600/IMG_8069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSTFDB6PGjw/WNqbT9fnKDI/AAAAAAAABIY/5zzl_yr_Ab0ulGAFEz02-1fdLeDbwLLQwCLcB/s320/IMG_8069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Has adopting and bringing in kids to live in my house as apart of my family ruined our family?&nbsp; Yes.&nbsp; We are ruined to the american dream.&nbsp; We are ruined to selfishness.&nbsp; Our hearts have been ruined.&nbsp; They got bigger.&nbsp; We’ve had to live outside of our little world.&nbsp; We’ve had to see some of the pain and ugliness in the world.&nbsp; We’ve had to become uncomfortable.&nbsp; We’ve had to save less money.&nbsp; We’ve had to buy clothes at goodwill.&nbsp; We’ve had to…well…who cares.&nbsp; It’s been a sacrifice. &nbsp;Our family has been changed forever. &nbsp;We will never be the same. &nbsp;Ever. &nbsp;We've changed.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">And what have we gotten in return?&nbsp; A bigger family.&nbsp; More brothers and sisters.&nbsp; Bigger lives.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">There are a lot of people that need a church.&nbsp; A real church.&nbsp; Not a place that calls itself a church but is filled with people that aren’t church-ing.&nbsp; A church like Jesus came to establish.&nbsp; A church that shows love.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">In order to be that church - we have to care more for those people who are on the outside than those who are on the inside.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">When we adopted, I expected my kids to be mature and get involved in caring for that child as though he really was there brother.&nbsp; You know what?&nbsp; They did it immediately.&nbsp; It’s been several years and I’ve never once heard, “I wish we never would have adopted him.”</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">If 3 kids under the age of 10 can do that - what’s wrong with the church?&nbsp; Why do we get so upset when changes are made to reach people who need Jesus?&nbsp; Why do we quit giving our money when the student ministry reaches more kids in the community?&nbsp; Instead of getting involved in leading and teaching we get upset that the new people are bringing their kids to the children’s ministry and not volunteering in it.&nbsp; Uh, shouldn’t the “insiders” be the ones to do that?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">or….oh my....</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Or worse yet, we are so consumed with the people inside of the church doors that we completely forget about those people who are outside.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I don’t think the problem with the lack of foster families is that they are worried that they don’t have enough room in their family for more kids - <span style="font-size: large;">I think that they are just so consumed with those who are inside their doors that they don’t even think about those children who are outside.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Are you a Nursing Christian?&nbsp; Start thinking less about your rights and more about your responsibilities.&nbsp; Do you really, actually want more people to find the unconditional love from God?&nbsp; Then grow up and start handing out unconditional love from your Father.&nbsp; Put the new person in front of yourself.&nbsp; Even better - go looking for the new person.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Church is weird. &nbsp;If you are "inside" the church you need to sacrifice for those "outside." &nbsp;What do you get? &nbsp;Well, you get ruined. &nbsp;You get ruined to selfishness. &nbsp;You get ruined to the american dream. &nbsp;Your heart gets bigger. &nbsp;You don't care as much about what you can buy. &nbsp;You care more about how much love you can give. &nbsp;You care more about people - even people you don't know. &nbsp;Your life gets bigger. &nbsp;Your life gets better. &nbsp;Your church changes...constantly. &nbsp;And every change excites you even more.<br /><br />Maybe it's time to ruin your family. &nbsp;Maybe it's time to ruin your church.</div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-75181350568273971292016-12-22T13:20:00.002-06:002016-12-22T13:33:15.589-06:00This is why you are getting "invited to church" by those people who "go to church"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YhrjEIw7le0/WFwpCpzFs8I/AAAAAAAABHU/qqhowRS985ojVlj_4CNVJmYBoq-parbkACLcB/s1600/83.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YhrjEIw7le0/WFwpCpzFs8I/AAAAAAAABHU/qqhowRS985ojVlj_4CNVJmYBoq-parbkACLcB/s320/83.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm writing this blog because this picture pretty much sums up what I think you think when I invite you to church! &nbsp;:)</td></tr></tbody></table>Obviously I can't speak for all of us. &nbsp;But I do think I can speak for many of us. &nbsp;You know us. &nbsp;We go to church. &nbsp;We don't secretly go to church. &nbsp;But we also don't "loudly" go to church. &nbsp;We aren't posting extreme messages on Facebook or "liking" all the Jesus pictures on Facebook either. &nbsp;(Although we really like Jesus - like a lot.) &nbsp;No, we just go to church because we like Jesus in real life.<br /><br />We aren't weak. &nbsp;Seriously. &nbsp;We are weak at times, but we don't go to church because we are weak. &nbsp;We aren't inviting you to church because we think you are weak.<br /><br />We aren't broken. &nbsp;Well, we are broken in some ways, but overall we are fairly together. &nbsp;We don't go to church because we are broken. &nbsp;We aren't inviting you to church because we think you are broken.<br /><br />We don't believe that we are right about everything. &nbsp;We don't believe that you are wrong. &nbsp;We aren't inviting you to church so that you will be right.<br /><br />We don't live with a constant fear of hell. &nbsp;Really I don't wake up every morning praising God that I won't be in hell for eternity because Jesus has saved me. &nbsp;(I do believe that - I just don't dwell on it. &nbsp;I spend much more time thinking about how Jesus loves me for who He has created me to be. &nbsp;I thank Him for His constant work in my life and in my family and friends. &nbsp;I think about the mission that He's given me to care for all people and help them to find completeness in Him.) &nbsp;We're not inviting you to church so that you don't go to hell. &nbsp;(Although we totally don't want you to go to hell - for real.)<br /><br />Why are we inviting you to church?<br /><br />I'm inviting you to church because I believe the best, most fulfilling, and most beautiful way to live is to live in complete love and acceptance. &nbsp;That's what Jesus has given me. &nbsp;He forgives me. &nbsp;He doesn't leave me. &nbsp;He will always be there for me. &nbsp;He comforts me. &nbsp;He provides me with unending and real hope. &nbsp;He gives me value. &nbsp;He asks a lot of me. &nbsp;He believes that I'm stronger than I think I am. &nbsp;He works through me. &nbsp;He lets me rest.<br /><br />He gives me hope. &nbsp;He redirects me. &nbsp;He keeps me from the incredibly painful effects of pursuing sin. &nbsp;He corrects me. &nbsp;He doesn't let me settle for anything but the best. &nbsp;He calls me to fulfill my special place in this world.<br /><br />He gives me the tools, teaching, and confidence to love others more than I love myself. &nbsp;He gives me what it takes to love my wife and kids. &nbsp;He gives me what it takes to forgive when it hurts or when it doesn't make sense. &nbsp;He gives me the power to endure almost anything.<br /><br />He makes me....me.<br /><br />Why are we inviting you to church?<br /><br />We want you to have some of what we have. &nbsp;It's nice to meet some friends who aren't competing with us - rather they want the best for us. &nbsp;It's nice to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.<br /><br />Why are we inviting you to church?<br /><br />We want the best for you and we believe that Jesus is vital to that happening. &nbsp;Honestly, we have a hard time explaining that - but it's what we mean.<br /><br />No, we don't think you are wrong, or weak, or broken. &nbsp;We aren't inviting you to church out of pity. &nbsp;We are inviting you out of love. &nbsp;Maybe that's why it's so awkward.<br /><br />We'll admit it. &nbsp;Yes, we love you. &nbsp;There we said it. &nbsp;Yes, we truly want the best for you. &nbsp;Yes, we really do think it involves Jesus. &nbsp;Yes, we know that's weird and misunderstood.<br /><br />That's why we keep inviting you.Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-73072991952547378262016-11-23T10:33:00.001-06:002016-11-23T10:38:20.829-06:00Fear might not be helping as much as you think it is<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Happy Thanksgiving!&nbsp; I hope you have a great day on Thursday.&nbsp; I hope that great day turns into a great weekend.&nbsp; Then I hope that great weekend turns into a great “Holidays.”&nbsp; In turn, I hope that great holiday season turns into a great new year.&nbsp; I hope that new year turns into a great year.&nbsp; Then that year turns into an amazing life.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I hope the same thing for myself too.&nbsp; (I’m not quite as altruistic as I came across in that first paragraph).</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">If I can give you just one thing to think about for a moment on this Thanksgiving Day it would be this - Don’t let fear ruin your day.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Take the day off.&nbsp; Take the day off of fear.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">If you had no fear - what would you say today?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">If you had no fear - who would you call today?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">If you had no fear - what would you quit today?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">If you had no fear - what would you start today?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">If only life were that simple, right?&nbsp; It’s hard to not be ruled by the fear within our hearts.&nbsp; It seems very unresponsible or un-adult to not allow fear in our thinking.&nbsp; Isn’t fear a good thing to have in some situations?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Seriously, is it?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m doubting that.&nbsp; I’ve experienced loss because of fear.&nbsp; I’ve experienced defeat because of fear.&nbsp; I’ve experienced hurt because of fear.&nbsp; I’ve experienced discouragement, cowardice, and regret because of fear.&nbsp; I’m not sure if I’ve ever experienced hope because of fear.&nbsp; I don’t believe I’ve experienced joy because of fear.&nbsp; I’m pretty sure fear has held me back from some great things that I didn’t get to experience.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Fear has never brought me into, what I would consider, a better life.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve tried to battle fear by playing the “what’s the worse that could happen” game.&nbsp; You know - the game designed to help us step forward thinking it can’t go all that bad even if I fail.&nbsp; That’s not a life-giving game.&nbsp; That’s a defeatist game.&nbsp; That game is played in fear.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve tried to battle fear by reflecting on what I have done, how strong I am, or other great attributes I think I have.&nbsp; That game doesn’t help either, because I am instantly reminded of my shortcomings, my past mistakes, and my brokenness.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I can’t battle fear.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UCMEcRGKxrY/WDXEusdwEwI/AAAAAAAABG0/CsqNfxpsbV8uQ6DNRYW_UGNsuhjDhuH4ACLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-23%2Bat%2B11.32.07%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UCMEcRGKxrY/WDXEusdwEwI/AAAAAAAABG0/CsqNfxpsbV8uQ6DNRYW_UGNsuhjDhuH4ACLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-23%2Bat%2B11.32.07%2BAM.png" width="319" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;">However, I can choose something different.&nbsp; I can choose faith that God is who He says He is and does what He says He will.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I can’t battle my fear, but God can.&nbsp; I battle fear when I bring my fear to God.&nbsp; I tell Him how afraid I really am.&nbsp; (I don’t admit that fear to too many other people).&nbsp; I tell Him how scared I am of the possible results.&nbsp; I tell Him when I don’t see a way out or even a pleasant road to walk.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Then I thank Him for what He will do and I get on with my life walking in faith.&nbsp; I can’t walk in faith unless I admit my fear and hand it over to God.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">But I must thank Him for what He will do.&nbsp; The Bible says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”&nbsp; I am not sure that I can do all things.&nbsp; But I am completely sure that God can.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">So we choose faith in God to battle fear.&nbsp; This Thanksgiving Day why don’t you thank God for what He will do.&nbsp; We spend a lot of time thanking God or other people for what they have done.&nbsp; Why not get proactive about this?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />Why not admit the fears that rule us and bring them to God in prayer? &nbsp;Why not thank Him for leading us out of the rule of fear?</div><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">God I thank you for handling all of the situations that are coming up in my life that I am afraid of.&nbsp; I know that you love me and that you think about me.&nbsp; I know that you have a power that I don’t understand.&nbsp; I know that you are supernaturally involved in my life.&nbsp; Thank you God for the ways that you will lead me that I would never have seen, could not plan for, and would be scared if I knew of them now.&nbsp; Thank you God that I have already overcome, because you have overcome for me.</span></div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-85530141986511517482016-11-09T13:56:00.000-06:002016-11-09T14:00:46.407-06:00Don't watch the baby chokeLast night most of the family was sitting in the living room just hanging out after finishing work, homework, chores, etc. &nbsp;I was on the couch trying to keep my eyes open as I was going over some homework stuff with one of the kids. &nbsp;I think it was multiplication flashcards.<br /><br />I looked down to the floor where Silas (my Kindergartner) was saying something to Wesley (the baby). &nbsp;What he said didn't quite register at first.<br /><br />"Wesley what are you eating?" &nbsp;Silas says.<br /><br />I looked over and thought nothing of it.<br /><br />"Wesley what are you eating?" &nbsp;Silas says again.<br /><br />Uh oh! &nbsp;I jumped off the couch and ran over to the baby. &nbsp;I saw him chewing on something so I grabbed him and started digging around in his mouth. &nbsp;I was shocked when I pulled out a full-size sticker! &nbsp;He could have very easily choked on that sticker had he tried to swallow it. &nbsp;The damage in that situation could have been major.<br /><br />I told Silas I was proud of him for saying something. &nbsp;If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have even noticed.<br /><br />Later as I was explaining the story to my wife, the rest of it came out. &nbsp;My wife looked at Silas and said, "I told you to put that sticker away so that Wesley wouldn't get it."<br /><br />There it was.<br /><br />I am faced with this challenge a lot. &nbsp;Here's how I would describe it:<br /><br />I screw something up. &nbsp;I know what I did was wrong. &nbsp;I know that my carelessness or lack of foresight has made a bad situation happen. &nbsp;I am the cause of this problem and I am ashamed. &nbsp;I'm scared of punishment or judgement. &nbsp;I feel terrible. &nbsp;I'm afraid someone will find out. &nbsp;However, I am also the one who discovers the bad situation that I have created and I am the only one who knows. &nbsp;I am now faced with two opportunities:<br /><br />1. &nbsp;Admit that I messed up really bad and run and get someone to help me fix the problem before something terrible happens no matter the cost to me.<br /><br />-or-<br /><br />2. &nbsp;Watch the baby choke.<br /><br />I understand that I have explained this in a very dark way, but that's the weight of the options as I see them.<br /><br />Silas is 6. &nbsp;He doesn't have the mental capacity to see it that way. &nbsp;When facing similar situations in my life, what's my excuse?<br /><br />How many times in my life have I let my shame or guilt stop me from pointing out a problem that I have created? &nbsp;How many times have I let bad things happen because I didn't want anyone to find out that I have screwed up?<br /><br />Don't let your own fear or shame convince you to stand idly by and watch the baby choke. &nbsp;If you have the ability or vision to help you must help, no matter who caused the problem.<br /><br />Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-32869510332146197672016-11-03T13:27:00.001-05:002016-11-03T13:35:54.116-05:00Waiting outside the dressing room on a Tuesday with a baby<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">There I was standing in front of the dressing room at TJ Max on a Tuesday night holding a baby stroller.&nbsp; I was tired.&nbsp; I was TIRED.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">The day before was Halloween and our church did our Trunk or Treat.&nbsp; I worked that day.&nbsp; Then I had to get our trunk ready at the parking lot as I also helped others figure out where they should park.&nbsp; I had two of my kids come early with me to “help.”&nbsp; (I’m using that term loosely.)</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">We did our church event until about 8pm and then we hopped into 2 vehicles to take our 5 kids (7 months - 13 years) and three of their friends trick or treating in another part of town.&nbsp; On the way out there we had to stop and buy baby Wes a pacifier.&nbsp; He was tired and upset.&nbsp; We tricked or treated with about 800,000 of our closest friends in the dark surrounded by packs of unaccompanied minors (in my group were 4 girls 11-14 so I was already on edge.)</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">We got home and sent everyone to bed.&nbsp; We crawled into bed and the next thing I know my alarm went off at 4:45.&nbsp; Nope.&nbsp; Too tired.&nbsp; Not working out this morning.&nbsp; So I got up at 5:30.&nbsp; It was nice to sleep in.&nbsp; Then it’s the whirlwind of getting everyone ready to go to school.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">“Did you pack…”</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">“Have you brushed…”</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">“Why are you on the computer?”</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">That day was a blur at work with meetings.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Next thing I know I am standing there in TJ Max with a 13 year old girl in the dressing room and a 7 month old baby waiting outside with me.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">How did I get here?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Is this really where I thought I would be 20 years ago when I was 17?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Father to 2 girls and 3 boys?&nbsp; Getting a phone call from a boy who wants to “date my daughter?”&nbsp; Learning a lot about 6th grade science and social studies as I study 3-4 nights a week with my son?&nbsp; Going through flashcards about “times” with another child?&nbsp; Helping one of them get dressed every single day?&nbsp; Walking around with a baby so that he will leave my poor tired wife alone for a few minutes?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Snapping at my kids?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Having such a bad attitude during trick or treating that my 6th grade boy asks me later why I was so mad that night?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Feeling nonstop guilt whenever I sit down instead of spending quality time with one of my kids, my wife, texting or calling my parents, texting a friend I haven’t talked to in a while, praying for someone I told I was going to pray for, thinking about our church’s impact in our community, etc, etc…</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Is this really what I wanted from life?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Am I happy?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">What would it be like if…?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Don’t get me wrong - I’m not complaining.&nbsp; Believe me I understand complaining and I’m quite good at it.&nbsp; This isn’t complaining.&nbsp; This is contemplating.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">What is my life standing here at 7:30pm on Tuesday night in a discount clothing store with a baby while my young-woman daughter is trying on clothes?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ll tell you what it is.&nbsp; It’s doing the right thing over and over and over again in order to see the right outcomes.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I want my daughter to recognize healthy loving relationships so that she will not settle for anything less than a healthy loving relationship in her future marriage.&nbsp; So I express my care for her by taking the responsibility to show her that she is important enough for me to get her what she needs.</span><br /><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">I want my wife to enjoy her life on a daily basis, so I bring the baby with me so that she can “relax” by just taking care of the other 3 kids, supervising clean up, homework, etc…</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I want my sons to know what it means to be a good man. &nbsp;A good man takes responsibility and helps with everything that he has. &nbsp;He puts himself last because he takes his strength from Jesus. &nbsp;He is humble enough to admit when he's wrong or doesn't understand something. &nbsp;He is strong enough to say he's sorry. &nbsp;He's tough enough to get off the stupid couch and get involved. &nbsp;When he has 5 kids, a wife, a church, and friends - he doesn't have many hobbies.</span><br /><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">I want my friends to know that they matter and that they are supported.</span><br /><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">I want to make this world better and the best way that I can do that is to do the right thing over and over and over again.</span></div><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">So standing here in TJ Max with a baby waiting for my daughter as she tries on clothes?&nbsp; That’s all apart of my master plan.&nbsp; Yeah, master plan.&nbsp; That’s it.</span></div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-69607826769372968642016-10-26T12:31:00.000-05:002016-10-26T12:31:08.562-05:00Discouragement<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Discouragement is a force in my life.&nbsp; Most of the time I feel it hanging over me, making me slouch in my chair.&nbsp; I can feel it in my stomach.&nbsp; It warms the back of my neck.&nbsp; It makes me feel so foolish.&nbsp; It really makes me embarrassed to be me.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Discouragement lies to me.&nbsp; It lies so well.&nbsp; It takes all of the things I’m good at and makes me ashamed of them.&nbsp; If I’m great at meeting people - it makes me feel like a flake.&nbsp; If I come up with an amazing idea - it makes me feel like a loser who could never actually pull it off.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Discouragement yells at me to “shut up!”&nbsp; I have nothing important to say.&nbsp; Anything that I would say would just come across as dreams of a man with his head in the clouds or empty platitudes by a Pastor.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Discouragement tells me that people can’t really change.&nbsp; I am who I am and that’s all I will ever be.&nbsp; That man over there will never be any better off than he is right now, no matter what I might say, do, or pray.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I can never argue with him either.&nbsp; He wins every single time.&nbsp; His comebacks are quicker than mine.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">And his voice is so loud.&nbsp; It’s so loud.&nbsp; It’s louder than any other voice I’ve heard.&nbsp; I want to yell back at him, but I fear that he is so often right. &nbsp;</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Discouragement is an overbearing master who won’t stop berating me.&nbsp; Even worse - he speaks through my thoughts directly into my mind.&nbsp; Worse yet - I wonder if I am the discouragement.&nbsp; Am I so stupid that I’m doing this to myself?</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">When I am happy, discouragement is in the back of my mind.&nbsp; When I am celebrating he comes to the party as a reminder that I will never completely succeed.&nbsp; I will always fail even when I am succeeding.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Discouragement spends more time with me than my own wife and precious children.&nbsp; I know him better than I know anyone else.&nbsp; I hate him.&nbsp; I live in fear of him.&nbsp; Truth be said, he dictates much of what I do and what I say.&nbsp; Even when I fight him I can only do it for others.&nbsp; I can never fight him for my own cause.&nbsp; I hate him.&nbsp; I exhaust myself trying to defend or protect others from his rule.&nbsp; But I am completely powerless to him.&nbsp; He rules me.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">When the Bible speaks of Satan as “The Lion who stalks the earth looking for someone to devour” I know how he has devoured me.&nbsp; He has made me a slave to discouragement.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">My only defense is to recognize that Discouragement is lying to me.&nbsp; Jesus is the truth and the truth will set me free.&nbsp; If Discouragement is shouting in my ears, I have to put Jesus’ words directly in front of me.&nbsp; I have to think about the words of Jesus.&nbsp; It’s my only hope and the only possibility I have of not being a slave to Discouragement.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">This is why I read my Bible every morning.&nbsp; This is why I pray every morning.&nbsp; This is why I meet with a couple of Christian friends twice monthly.&nbsp; This is why I am open and honest with my wife and my family.&nbsp; This is why I am open and honest with the rest of our church staff and our elders.&nbsp; Because if I don’t do these things - I stop seeing the truth of Jesus’ power and I am, once again, crushed under the weight of Discouragement.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I wonder how many other people have discouragement hanging over their heads at all times too.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">I know that if you do, there is not very much that I can write.&nbsp; I can write something that might make you feel a little better for a while.&nbsp; But, if you are at all like me - Discouragement is just sitting there waiting to pounce.&nbsp; I’d like to post a Bible verse to help you out.&nbsp; I can’t do that.&nbsp; I have too much respect for Discouragement’s power.&nbsp; It’s real.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">To be honest, I’m writing this to deal with my own discouragement.&nbsp; I’ve found that putting it out there helps me to see reality.&nbsp; If I let discouragement stay with me - I will be crushed.&nbsp; If I allow other people to see him - he shrinks back and disappears.&nbsp; He seems to be afraid of a group of people.&nbsp; Not all the time!&nbsp; No he will run wild through a group of people.&nbsp; But he seems to get exposed as weakness when he hits a group of people who have studied Jesus.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">This is really unbelievable, even to me, but He’s telling me not to post this.&nbsp; I will anyways.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Here’s to us.&nbsp; If you know Discouragement too.&nbsp; Let’s lead a revolt against him.&nbsp; Let’s expose who he really is - a lie.</span></div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-86571034443165938052016-08-31T07:44:00.002-05:002016-08-31T07:54:12.826-05:00Town Hall Meeting for Child WelfareI attended a Town Hall Meeting yesterday in Bradenton put on by some local government agencies. &nbsp;The purpose was to discuss the overload of kid's in out-of-home care for various reasons, but mainly the local heroine epidemic. &nbsp;I was very pleased to see about 200 people there. &nbsp;I thought that was a good sign. &nbsp;I was able to see many of the people that I have got to know because they are either parts of non-profits or work in government for the purpose of dealing with kids who need help. &nbsp;I was also very pleased to see some local Pastors.<br /><br />I have been involved with the foster care epidemic in Manatee Country for just over 2 years. &nbsp;So I understand that I'm a new-comer to the table. &nbsp;Our family has gone through the process to adopt and I am on the board for <a href="http://www.guardianangelsfl.org/" target="_blank">Guardian Angels of Southwest Florida</a> and serve in the 3 county area for the <a href="http://111projectfl.org/" target="_blank">1-1-1 Project</a>. &nbsp;The Guardian Angels is a group that builds large homes for families to move into and foster children. &nbsp;It's an incredible group of loving and influential people. &nbsp;The 1-1-1 Project is an effort to work through churches and recruit Christian families to get licensed to foster and adopt children in our counties. <br /><br />As I sat in the meeting I was one of the many who weren't shocked by any of the numbers. &nbsp;We know them and we know them well. &nbsp;It's a crisis. &nbsp;I heard the messages from foster-parents who are under supported and have very legitimate worries with the system. &nbsp;I also heard from government officials who are understaffed and underfunded for the amount of work they need to do. &nbsp;I heard impassioned speeches from community members and officials who's hearts are fully invested in loving our community. <br /><br />Many people expressed disappointment that the government wasn't doing more or doing it better. &nbsp;One man expressed disappointment that the churches in Manatee County weren't doing anything.<br /><br />I really don't have an opinion on what the government is or isn't doing. &nbsp;I don't know the inner workings all that well. &nbsp;However, I do know a couple of people that work within the government system and I can tell you that their hearts beat for these kids and broken families. &nbsp;Many of them take care of kids in the system because no one else will. &nbsp;However I have seen an overwhelmed system that seems to go very slowly in some areas.<br /><br />When the church thing was mentioned I immediately felt defensive. &nbsp;First, because I'm a prideful and insecure person. &nbsp;(I have to put that out there! &nbsp;I pray that one day I will feel at more peace and be closer to where I want to be there. &nbsp;But I acknowledge that I'm currently pretty dang ego-driven.) &nbsp;Secondly, because I looked around the room and saw Pastors there who are working to make things better. &nbsp;I saw faith-based organizations that survive off donations and supporters in order to care for foster families, provide training, build homes, and recruit new families. &nbsp;I also know of people within my own church that are currently working through the system to foster as well as foster and adoptive parents that have been at it for years and years. &nbsp;Thirdly, many churches within our county are doing amazing things to help strengthen families, fight addiction, train children, care for orphans, and teach a more responsible way to live.<br /><br />I think that represents 4 possible responses that most of us have when a crisis hits (or when we become aware of it).<br /><br />1. The first is to get angry with the government for not doing more. &nbsp;It's no problem to feel this way unless we feel that we are actually doing something simply by getting angry.<br /><br />2. The second is to get angry with the church for not doing more. &nbsp;Ditto with the last one. &nbsp;However, this starts to break down when the arguement becomes "someone else needs to do something!" &nbsp;What are you doing?<br /><br />3. The third is to get involved and then get angry with others for not getting involved as well. &nbsp;It's like when we adopted. &nbsp;I looked around at all the orphans and I thought why don't we all do this? &nbsp;It made me mad for a while. &nbsp;Seldom do I get the results I'm searching for by yelling it at people. &nbsp;I ADOPTED WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM! <br /><br />4. &nbsp;The fourth is to get involved and teach others how to get involved as well and to train or encourage them to get involved in the special way that they can.<br /><br />In that room of about 200 people I saw a table filled with people in their 70's and 80's. &nbsp;I know many of the people in that group. &nbsp;They didn't talk a whole lot. &nbsp;They didn't yell. &nbsp;They didn't make impassioned speeches. &nbsp;They made decisions a very long time ago to make a change. &nbsp;I'm assuming they got mad. &nbsp;I'm assuming they got discouraged. &nbsp;I'm assuming they believed the government and the church failed in many ways. &nbsp;But that didn't stop them. &nbsp;They didn't believe that being angry, in itself, was doing anything. &nbsp;Many of them fostered and adopted kids long before it was as acceptable and understood as it is now. &nbsp;Many of them have left a family legacy of taking care of kids that aren't your biological kids. &nbsp;All of them have used the talent and resources that God has given them to make a difference in one person's life at a time and they have all done it over the long-haul. &nbsp;The things that those people are doing are things that will live on far after they have left this earth.<br /><br />I think the evening was wrapped up perfectly when a lady, who didn't even know she would be invited to speak, was asked to come up and address the crowd. &nbsp;I wish I knew her name or where she works! &nbsp;She has been a life-long resident of the county and has worked within the childcare system and now works in the addiction system. &nbsp;She said something like - we don't all need to foster children or work with addiction recovery, but we do all need to do something. &nbsp;She then listed several things that build families and help people.<br /><br />All in all it was very encouraging to me. &nbsp;Let's keep at it, do what we can do, and encourage our friends to get involved how they can get involved.<br /><br /><br />Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-76391483884749243062016-07-25T12:55:00.000-05:002016-07-25T12:55:01.070-05:00I hate change!We all hate changes that we don't instigate. &nbsp;I am a HUGE fan of changes that I decide to make. &nbsp;Sometimes I wonder why everyone else isn't. &nbsp;I sometimes even think that I am just the kind of person who loves change. &nbsp;Then someone changes something and I hate it. &nbsp;It makes me mad. &nbsp;I doubt why that person should even be able to make that sort of change. &nbsp;"How dare that restaurant decide to change their menu! &nbsp;I eat here at least twice a year. &nbsp;Why didn't they consult me?"<div><br /></div><div>I think we all hate change. &nbsp;Change is really hard. &nbsp;We get comfortable when we know what's happening. &nbsp;We like the rhythms that we live in. &nbsp;We don't enjoy people messing it up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unless we believe that the change that is made will lead to a greater place.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had lunch with an 80 year old guy that has been a part of our church for as long as I've been alive (36 years). &nbsp;You could say that he has a heart of gold but the look of a curmudgeon. &nbsp;He is a very giving person and yet can come across a little demanding.</div><div><br /></div><div>He taught me two incredible things about change.</div><div><br /></div><div>#1 - Sometimes you have to make a change that make EVERYONE mad.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before I started working at Westside the leadership made a crazy decision to take their traditional service (piano) and move it from the prime spot at 10:45am and to the less prime spot at 9:00am. &nbsp;It was a swap. &nbsp;The contemporary service went from 9am to 10:45am. &nbsp;The tradition than had to go from 10:45am to 9:00am. &nbsp;This made most of the 10:45 traditional service very unhappy. &nbsp;Several people left the church and this man that I ate with said that he was very, very upset about the change. &nbsp;Over the course of a few years the contemporary service has grown by leaps and bounds partly because it was given the prime spot. &nbsp;He said, today, that he was very happy for the growth caused by that decision and he recognized that it needed to happen.</div><div><br /></div><div>#2 - Other times you have to make a change that make everyone REALLY mad.</div><div><br /></div><div>Several years ago churches would have 3 weekly services. &nbsp;You would have worship and a sermon on Sunday morning, again on Sunday night, and then again on Wednesday night. &nbsp;That's what worked back then and what people loved. &nbsp;A shift took place and the leadership of Westside decided to cancel the Sunday night and Wednesday night and put in place small groups or home bible studies. &nbsp;He said he got so upset with that decision that he wrote letters to the elders to tell them how wrong they were. &nbsp;But then he told me that he had never really learned so much about the Bible and faith until he joined one of these home bible studies. &nbsp;He said that he had always just listened to someone talk, but things become clearer to him as he had discussion in people's homes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, it's very hard to change things. &nbsp;The people that are affected by the change hate it.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, can I let you in on something else? &nbsp;The people who are making the big changes are pretty uncomfortable too. &nbsp;We don't know if the changes will work. &nbsp;We are afraid that our decisions will end up being wrong and just end up hurting people. &nbsp;We, seldom, make changes happily. &nbsp;We know that the changes we make affect many people and we carry that burned heavily. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>However, we recognize that most of the time change has to happen in order for us to get to that greater place.</div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-53075590797184566812016-06-27T10:03:00.002-05:002016-06-27T10:04:41.516-05:00Homemade Roof Rack CrossbarsI needed some crossbars for my existing (factory) roof rack for my 2007 Chevy Uplander LT. &nbsp;I went to the internet to buy some. &nbsp;I had so much trouble finding any that were specifically made for my van. &nbsp;So I decided to make my own. &nbsp;The following are my pictures of how it all went down.<br /><br />I spent roughly $18 at <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/?cm_mmc=SEM%7CG%7CBT1&amp;gclid=COjvsMS8yM0CFcQkhgodutcEvg&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">Home Depot</a>.<br /><br />2 4ft lengths of electrical conduit<br />4 U-bolts<br />1 can black spray paint<br />Strong drill bits<br /><br />The tools that I needed to have:<br /><br />Cordless drill<br />Wrench (for the u-bolts)<br /><br />The rest is shown in the pictures. &nbsp;It all looks pretty good, but I couldn't find any caps to put on the ends of the conduit. &nbsp;I just grabbed some gorilla tape to seal them off. &nbsp;When I was driving down the road with the ends not sealed I had a terrible whistling.<br /><br />Here is a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D9C2CDO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1" target="_blank">link to the roof carrier</a> that I purchased off of amazon for $50.<br /><br />Happy building!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LhZTmfEkpYQ/V3FAQEOS_CI/AAAAAAAABDg/vGa_2uT_X-Ior6kkVGg_VpzABkdILizlACLcB/s1600/IMG_7140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LhZTmfEkpYQ/V3FAQEOS_CI/AAAAAAAABDg/vGa_2uT_X-Ior6kkVGg_VpzABkdILizlACLcB/s640/IMG_7140.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Es57iuMFHZ8/V3FAQVVK7DI/AAAAAAAABDk/Fi7PB7V0gO8UYEo2d5NoryBT6pcNtR_TwCLcB/s1600/IMG_7141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Es57iuMFHZ8/V3FAQVVK7DI/AAAAAAAABDk/Fi7PB7V0gO8UYEo2d5NoryBT6pcNtR_TwCLcB/s640/IMG_7141.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0xKvkSYEvMA/V3FAQKwjb6I/AAAAAAAABDc/o-QNeiy_v98nTpCZBlyzByqOnSIPM9W1gCLcB/s1600/IMG_7143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0xKvkSYEvMA/V3FAQKwjb6I/AAAAAAAABDc/o-QNeiy_v98nTpCZBlyzByqOnSIPM9W1gCLcB/s640/IMG_7143.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aVciK5Kw3Vw/V3FAQzi0n1I/AAAAAAAABD4/yKLkGlbfdnAFivUH3PGDNfka4p2IwpcPQCLcB/s1600/IMG_7144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aVciK5Kw3Vw/V3FAQzi0n1I/AAAAAAAABD4/yKLkGlbfdnAFivUH3PGDNfka4p2IwpcPQCLcB/s640/IMG_7144.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7M5IZLbI1y0/V3FAQwmvHtI/AAAAAAAABDw/hZQJoozXdSk4a_T7B2dRCVDva441Qlf1gCLcB/s1600/IMG_7145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7M5IZLbI1y0/V3FAQwmvHtI/AAAAAAAABDw/hZQJoozXdSk4a_T7B2dRCVDva441Qlf1gCLcB/s640/IMG_7145.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3D_bHeV7EoY/V3FARCz2cKI/AAAAAAAABD0/bEwISo0WjksAwuUbgrz8vl1bKh-dx-VlACLcB/s1600/IMG_7147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3D_bHeV7EoY/V3FARCz2cKI/AAAAAAAABD0/bEwISo0WjksAwuUbgrz8vl1bKh-dx-VlACLcB/s640/IMG_7147.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D9vFRigxO-M/V3FARQsmW5I/AAAAAAAABEA/qtY2KzmfPSEo6GfGDlcWXocHw5owl7dOwCLcB/s1600/IMG_7148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D9vFRigxO-M/V3FARQsmW5I/AAAAAAAABEA/qtY2KzmfPSEo6GfGDlcWXocHw5owl7dOwCLcB/s640/IMG_7148.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-13620491459091625982016-06-23T07:43:00.000-05:002016-06-23T11:56:46.446-05:00Our family's summer projectSo there we all were. &nbsp;Well, we weren't all there. &nbsp;We were all home. &nbsp;Each child somewhere in the house doing something. &nbsp;One on a phone. &nbsp;One on a game. &nbsp;One on the computer. &nbsp;Occasionally they would interact. &nbsp;They would rotate. &nbsp;They would group up and go outside for some swimming, jumping on the trampoline, etc.<br /><br />And I sat there hoping we wouldn't lose this summer.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zGGoal3c-jc/V2vYNGTEQsI/AAAAAAAABC8/-8k4L1qTlJES8olf3SxxEWBFtfcmI-OOgCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-06-23%2Bat%2B8.37.20%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zGGoal3c-jc/V2vYNGTEQsI/AAAAAAAABC8/-8k4L1qTlJES8olf3SxxEWBFtfcmI-OOgCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-06-23%2Bat%2B8.37.20%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-sODFvhhmmpUx73vCX8c-A">Our Channel</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Our family will never again get a chance to live summer 2016. &nbsp;The first summer with a teenager in our ranks. &nbsp;The first summer with baby Wesley. &nbsp;The last summer before middle school for one and the last summer before kindergarten for another. &nbsp;It's a special summer. &nbsp;Shouldn't we do something special?<br /><span id="goog_75354282"></span><span id="goog_75354283"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />My wife and I talked about it for a few weeks. &nbsp;Really, it's a conversation that is always ongoing though. &nbsp;How do we "family?" &nbsp;How do we create memories that will shape these kids? &nbsp;How do we get everyone to build solid relationships with each other? &nbsp;How do we use this day while it's "this day?"<br /><br />So we decided to ask the kids if they want to do a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-sODFvhhmmpUx73vCX8c-A">youtube show.</a> &nbsp;(I'm not sure if that's even what you call it.) &nbsp;This was a quick decision as well as one that's been marinating for a long time. &nbsp;I remember my wife, months ago, saying that our 8 year old's dream would be to have a youtube show. &nbsp;At first I didn't like that at all. &nbsp;So I started to ask people about it and I started to read about it. &nbsp;I started to try to understand that world. &nbsp;As I became more familiar with it I grew more comfortable with it.<br /><br />So we asked and they all said, "yes!" &nbsp;They come up with the ideas. &nbsp;They are the stars. &nbsp;They capture footage, edit, and make decisions. &nbsp;Dad and mom are still very much involved in the whole process, but the kids are the driving force.<br /><br />We are two weeks in and it's been a great experience for our family. &nbsp;It required me to get outside of my interests and my comfort zone. &nbsp;It required me to learn something new. &nbsp;It has required patience and letting go of control.<br /><br />What are our goals with this? &nbsp;My goal is for us to have a shared experience as a family and learn lessons together in real time. &nbsp;Also, we are pretty good at being a family. &nbsp;We like to invite people into our family to see the love we have for each other and the love we have for Jesus.<br /><br />To the parent reading this:<br /><br />Let me encourage you to get up and try something with your family. &nbsp;I'm being completely honest when I say that I have more desire to just come home from a stressful day at work, grab a soda, and plop my butt onto the couch in the little room off of our master bedroom...and hide from everyone. &nbsp;I don't come home with the attitude of "what amazing things can we do as a family tonight?!" &nbsp;When I get home I am tempted to just "run out the clock" until bedtime. &nbsp;But the past two weeks have been very rewarding. &nbsp;It's pretty incredible to see a teen interacting with little brothers and sisters. &nbsp;Plus, the challenges that they have come up with are really fun to watch!!<br /><br />Energy is a funny thing. &nbsp;When I'm sitting on the couch I run out of energy. &nbsp;Once I get up and get moving and get involved in something, that energy comes back. &nbsp;It requires a lot of energy to be an involved parent. &nbsp;God will give it to you. &nbsp;He wants your kids to have good parents as much as you want be a good parent.<br /><br /><br />Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-91323718308318987172016-06-16T07:50:00.001-05:002016-06-16T07:59:13.013-05:00Do for one what you would do for allSo much tragedy in the news this week. &nbsp;A lot of it centers around 3 very different, yet incredibly sad stories from Orlando. &nbsp;Each one of the stories ends in death. &nbsp;One ended in multiple deaths.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Change needs to happen. &nbsp;I'm sure we agree with that.</div><div><br /></div><div>&nbsp;The problem with real change is that it takes a long time to come about and most of us just don't want to actually do anything helpful. &nbsp;We want to get mad. &nbsp;We want to use it as a platform for our own agenda or (just as bad) cash in on it either in cash, cause, or popularity. &nbsp;We want to complain and blame. &nbsp;I know that that is the temptation for me. &nbsp;Complaining comes very naturally to me. &nbsp;Helping does not. &nbsp;Forgiving does not.</div><div><br /></div><div>Soon the news will find another story. &nbsp;The politicians will find something else to talk about. &nbsp;The world will have the Olympics and countless other stories. &nbsp;If you follow the news in other countries and other continents you have already seen that there are terrible tragedies happening, literally, all over the world on every single day. &nbsp;There are tragedies happening within your family and friends. &nbsp;That doesn't make the worlds problems smaller or your problems smaller. &nbsp;All tragedy is tragedy.</div><div><br /></div><div>And we will grow wearier. &nbsp;We will grow more jaded. &nbsp;Some of the prejudices we have will be reinforced and some will be broken. &nbsp;We will look for the problem and then try to fix it soon. &nbsp;If it doesn't fix soon, we will forget. &nbsp;Sadly, we may give up.</div><div><br /></div><div>I would suggest that we can do a few things that might take longer.</div><div><br /></div><div>1) Treat everyone with love. &nbsp;Absolutely everyone. &nbsp;Treat everyone how you would want to be treated. &nbsp;Do this for as many days as you are blessed with. &nbsp;Did you have the incredible opportunity to wake up today? &nbsp;Live this day by loving all of those beautiful people around you. &nbsp;Do that in your home. &nbsp;Do that in the office. &nbsp;Do that on the worksite. &nbsp;Do that in the grocery store. &nbsp;Do that in your car. &nbsp;Do that wherever you find yourself.</div><div><br /></div><div>2) Do for one what you wish you could do for all. &nbsp;Long before we adopted one of our children, my heart was completely broken for the millions of orphans in the continent of Africa (it still is). &nbsp;I had no clue how to help. &nbsp;I'm sure if Facebook were around back then I would have posted some news stories. &nbsp;It was overwhelming to think of the need and then complain to God that He isn't doing anything about it. &nbsp;That was when He began the long process of showing me that 1) I'm not alone in feeling this way or seeing this need 2) He's already at work 3) Evil exists and evil plays by it's own rules 4) He has overcome it and is the only source of hope in hopeless situations and 5) He has a small part for me to play. &nbsp;We gave a family to one (former) orphan. &nbsp;Now I get to help (in my small way) by helping other families get involved in local foster care and adoption.</div><div><br /></div><div>3) Stop complaining. &nbsp;Don't stop grieving. &nbsp;Grieving and complaining are very different things. &nbsp;Never, ever stop grieving for the tragedy that befalls our fellow humans. &nbsp;Please stop complaining. &nbsp;Complaining does not help. &nbsp;It probably makes you feel like you are helping. &nbsp;Whatever you feel like complaining about - figure out a way to work with someone who is already working to make that better. &nbsp;Find a way to help. &nbsp;No, you alone can't stop it from happening. &nbsp;But you can be an agent of change in small way that will be a big way to someone. &nbsp;Let me try a baseball analogy - maybe (and I stress maybe) stop swinging for the fences and start hitting some singles. &nbsp;Put the ball in play and get on base.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear this from a guy who has the occasional delusion of grandeur - There's a good chance that you are not the person who will bring about the lasting change that this world so desperately needs and make the cover of a magazine. &nbsp;You will not be able to quiet the shouting, stop the shooting, or fix what is broken. &nbsp;You won't be able to adopt millions of orphans. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>BUT</div><div><br /></div><div>That can not stop you from waking up every morning and making the decision to treat that one person in front of you at that moment with all the love, forgiveness, and mercy that you want to be treated with.</div><div><br /></div><div>Do for one what you would do for all.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stop complaining. &nbsp;Take all that "complaining energy" and focus it into running the marathon of a loving and helpful life.</div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-63331123988492350842016-04-07T11:58:00.000-05:002016-04-07T11:58:45.217-05:00A day wasted?In his book, The Effective Father, Gordon MacDonald wrote: "It is said of Boswell, the famous biographer of Samuel Johnson, that he often referred to a special day in his childhood when his father took him fishing. &nbsp;The day was fixed in his mind, and he often reflected upon many things his father had taught him in the course of their fishing experience together. &nbsp;After having heard of that particular excursion so often, it occurred to someone much later to check the journal that Boswell's father kept and determine what had been said about the fishing trip form the parental perspective. &nbsp;Turning to that date, the reader found only one sentence entered: 'Gone fishing today with my son; a day wasted.'"<br /><br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VwrEUuWTs0Q/VwaPWdlwjKI/AAAAAAAABCQ/E5tbB0FRMTc6qAPvHGWCRr72I6UOa-3Bw/s1600/IMG_7084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VwrEUuWTs0Q/VwaPWdlwjKI/AAAAAAAABCQ/E5tbB0FRMTc6qAPvHGWCRr72I6UOa-3Bw/s320/IMG_7084.JPG" width="240" /></a>I'm currently on the downslope of the most busy season I've had in my life. &nbsp;I have had the opportunity to see how much I can be involved in and just how severe my own limitations are. &nbsp;I have noticed that, when push comes to shove, I will shove a person out of my way in order mark something off of my checklist. &nbsp;It is something that I don't want to do, or even recognize that I'm doing. &nbsp;God has patiently taught me that I am just one person and I can only do so many things well. &nbsp;I can't possibly do everything that I would like to do. &nbsp;I need to focus on not wasting any of my time.<br /><br />In the midst of all this busyness my oldest son informs us on a Saturday that he has a project due Monday at school. &nbsp;It's a project that he's had at least a month to work on. &nbsp;I wanted to get upset with him because I was busy - stressed - tired - wound up - but I held it in. &nbsp;(To my surprise &amp; relief). &nbsp;I wanted to rush him through it so that he could finish it quickly. &nbsp;But I felt this conviction that we needed to use this opportunity to "make a memory."<br /><br />He needed to do 3 things for this project. &nbsp;First, he had to write a 30 second commercial script. &nbsp;That was pretty fun. &nbsp;Secondly, he had to draw a movie poster. &nbsp;I think he did a good job. &nbsp;I wanted to help make it better but realized that I'm not helping if I do it for him. &nbsp;Thirdly, he had to make a movie trailer.<br /><br />Awesome. &nbsp;Mindy and I decided that we needed to have the whole family help out on this. &nbsp;So we planned it for Sunday afternoon. &nbsp;Sunday mornings are my favorite time of the week, but they are also the most exhausting for me. &nbsp;By the time I get home around 12:30 or so - I'm pretty worthless. &nbsp;However, we needed to do this Sunday. &nbsp;So we loaded up the van with all 7 of us and drove out to a pirate ship playground out on the island...on a Sunday afternoon....around 2pm...in the height of season... &nbsp;It was a slow drive. &nbsp;It was completely worth it.<br /><br />I think we got to make a memory.<br /><br />God, please give me the wisdom and perspective to see just how valuable my time is with my children. &nbsp;May I never see time spent with one of my children as time wasted.<br /><br />God, please give me the wisdom and perspective to see just how valuable my time is with everyone. &nbsp;May I never see time spent with one of your children as time wasted.<br /><br />Oh, here's the video:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyVRoUXdTbcHXXhDJVestxtNjX0sbvQokG5mL-dhZHUCZv4xr2JWKv8P1E_BvXtLXZltQc6OCIuazcgAmgbJg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br />Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-15053612582414050892016-03-03T12:37:00.000-06:002016-03-03T12:37:15.733-06:00The Older Brother<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">This is my sermon for the "older brother" in all of us.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">This sermon is the second sermon in the story of the Prodigal Son.&nbsp; We saw the young man take his inheritance early, and disrespect his father.&nbsp; We saw the pain of the father to let his son go.&nbsp; We saw the foolishness of the boy to sell off his inheritance, go to a distant land, and squander it away.&nbsp; We saw him hit the bottom in a feedlot, come to his senses, and go back to his father to plead with him to let him be a servant in his father’s house.&nbsp; Well, when he was a long way off the father saw him coming and ran out to get him.&nbsp; The boy started to ask for forgiveness and his father interupted him and gave him his best robe, a ring, and sandals.&nbsp; He then killed the fatted calf and they had a celebration.&nbsp; Our story ended with the father gladly proclaiming, “This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">We understand that this is a parable that Jesus is telling them in order for the people to understand that our Father God is a loving father who has patience for his children.&nbsp; He runs to meet us when we repent.&nbsp; God patiently waits for all people to repent and come to Him.&nbsp; The younger brother in the story has hurt his father and broken the relationship, yet the memory of this dad is enough for the boy to want to return home.&nbsp; This echoes Paul’s writing to the Romans where he states that “God’s kindness leads us to repentance.”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Now we will finish the story.&nbsp; The boy has arrived back home after running a long and wild road.&nbsp; He stopped and turned around, the father embraced him and throws a party.&nbsp; We pick up the story at the party.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><b></b><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Luke 15:25-32, “Meanwhile.”&nbsp; I’ll stop there.&nbsp; Isn’t that always the way that things work?&nbsp; This word “meanwhile” is hilarious.&nbsp; It’s hilarious because everyone of us knows that “meanwhile” means there is a whole other story happening somewhere and it is probably working against the story that we are in.&nbsp; There is something happening here and...meanwhile...something is happening over there.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Luke 15:25-32</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. &nbsp;So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. &nbsp;‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’&nbsp;“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. &nbsp;But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. &nbsp;But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’&nbsp;“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. &nbsp;But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The older brother is a fascinating character.&nbsp; He is fascinating to me because there are times when I could not relate to the brother more.&nbsp; There are attitudes that I possess where I can completely relate to this brother.&nbsp; There are times when I am him.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;He is also a fascinating character because there are still other times in my life that I have the older brother right there in my presence judging me, hating me.&nbsp; I can feel the weight of his disdain and dislike for me.&nbsp; I can see him looking down his nose at me.&nbsp; It’s a terribly uncomfortable feeling of weakness and shame.&nbsp; Yes I have done wrong, but I’ve asked for forgiveness and you have no right to hate me like you do.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The older brother is one of the greatest characters in the stories that make up our collective history of thought.&nbsp; He is the villan, righteously set against the broken hero.&nbsp; He is what many people think of the church.&nbsp; He represents that person who hates you for a pretty good reason, yet shouldn’t hate you.&nbsp; He is the self-righteous, prideful, selfish, angry man.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">You see, just like in real life, this older brother didn’t just snap.&nbsp; No, there were deep-rooted issues in his own life that caused him to get so angry so quickly and to talk so horribly about his very own brother in such a disrepectful way to his father.&nbsp; The words that went from his mouth came from his hardened heart.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><b>How the Older Brother became the Older Brother</b></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><b></b><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Evidenced in this parable are 4 key traits of the older brother</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Self-righteousness</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">When the older brother is face to face with the father, the first thing he says is, “Look!&nbsp; All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.”&nbsp; From what we can see of the father, I doubt the older brother was a slave.&nbsp; However he claims that he was “slaving for his father.”&nbsp; How do you like that?&nbsp; The older brother claims to be a faithful slave to his dad while the younger brother comes back hoping to be a slave for his dad, and yet his dad restores him to sonship.&nbsp; The older brother claims that he has never disobeyed his father’s orders.&nbsp; I doubt that.&nbsp; It sounds like an exaggeration.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Matthew Henry writes, “Note, it is too common for those that are better than their neighbors to boast of it, yea, and to make their boast of it before God himself, as if he were indebted to them for it.”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The sin of self-righteousness tempts all of us who go to church, follow Jesus, and do our best to not sin.&nbsp; We start to feel good about how successful we are at not sinning.&nbsp; We slowly begin to feel as though we don’t need to help of the Holy Spirit to keep us from temptation and we fall head first into the sin of self-righteousness, because we feel that we alone are so good that God should be glad that we are on His side, slaving away for him.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Pride</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">We know he is prideful because the father has to leave the party to come speak to the older brother, his pride would not allow him to go to the celebration.&nbsp; Pride builds walls between people.&nbsp; Pride is a separater.&nbsp; Pride is a divider.&nbsp; &nbsp; Pride is what drove Satan from the Father God and pride is what keeps Satan from the Father God.&nbsp; Pride is the opposite of humility.&nbsp; Jesus embodied humility as he became a servant to all on the cross.&nbsp; God values humility and God hates pride.&nbsp; There are some who say that pride is the root of all other sin.&nbsp; The older brother wants his father to keep the door shut.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Unconcern for his lost brother</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The older brother was not watching for his younger brother to return home.&nbsp; In fact he didn’t know about the party until it was loud enough to affect his day.&nbsp; The older brother declares to his father.&nbsp; Father you are naive.&nbsp; Father you are dumb.&nbsp; Father you are wrong.&nbsp; This son of yours spend all of your hard earned wealth on prostitutes!&nbsp; How did the older brother know this?&nbsp; He didn’t, he was speculating.&nbsp; Not only is the older brother guilty of simply not caring for his brother, but he was filling in the holes of his brother’s life with worst case scenarios.The older brother makes a villan out of his younger sibling.&nbsp; He even calls him “this son of yours” as though he is no longer allowed to be called his own brother.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Anger</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Finally, the older brother is angry.&nbsp; We know this because the scripture tells us he was angry.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Warren Wiersbe writes, “In my years of preaching and pastoral ministry.&nbsp; I have met elder brothers (and sisters) who have preferred nursing their anger to enjoying the fellowship of God and God’s people.&nbsp; Because they will not forgive, they have alienated themselves from the church and even from their family; they are sure that everyone else is wrong and they alone are right.&nbsp; They can talk loudly about the sins of others, but they are blind to their own sin.”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Jesus has directed this parable to the pharisees.&nbsp; The older brother represents those Christians (the people of God) who have never fallen into overwhelming sin.&nbsp; They see a recovered alcoholic and wonder how someone could ever become an alcoholic in the first place.&nbsp; They haven’t lost it all in a sin, therefore they have not developed a proper compassion for those who have lost it all and repented.&nbsp; For whatever reason they feel that if someone else receives God’s inheritance is will likely shrink what God owe’s them from all their hard work.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">But, this parable is not all about the older brother.&nbsp; So the sermon is not ending here.&nbsp; It is good for us to reflect on our lives and how we have characteristics that are dangerously close to the older brother in this story.&nbsp; The sermon is not ending here, because this parable is about the great love of the father.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><b></b><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><b>The Father</b></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The great love of the father is very evident in the words that he spoke to his oldest son.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The father says “My son”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">John Walvoord notices, “Interestingly the father went out and pleaded with the older brother to go to the feast.”&nbsp; God is always inclusive.&nbsp; God wants all people to come into the party.&nbsp; God does not want to exclude everyone.&nbsp; But, like the father in the story, God will invite, lead, prompt, listen, speak, but God will not force.&nbsp; It’s terrible that there are people who, for whatever reason, will not just come into the party.&nbsp; The party, of course, is Heaven.&nbsp; God continues to count you as his sons and daughters.&nbsp; He is patient with you, because he loves you as a good father loves his own children.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The father tells his son “You are Always with me”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">My son, you have not tasted what it is like to be away from me.&nbsp; You have taken for granted my protection and care for you.&nbsp; You have taken for granted that I am here with you.&nbsp; My widsom guides your success.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The father tells his son “Everything I have is yours”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">I own the land that you farm.&nbsp; The oxen that you use belong to me.&nbsp; The house that live in was built by me.&nbsp; All of these things I have gladly given to you.&nbsp; It brings me great joy to give you these things.&nbsp; I want you to have what I have.&nbsp; I want you to possess all the good things that I can give you.&nbsp; There is nothing that is available to me that I have not made available to you at the proper time and in the proper way.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The father tells his son, “We had to celebrate”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">He didn’t say “I wanted to.”&nbsp; He had to.&nbsp; It is in the nature of the good father that he celebrates when his children return to him.&nbsp; God’s highest priority is for sinners to repent and return home to him.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The father says, “the brother of yours”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">He reminds the older brother that they are not adversaries, they are family.&nbsp; We would do well to remember that.&nbsp; You are not adversaries - you are family.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><b>Conclusion</b></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">In this famous story called the Prodigal son, we see three characters.&nbsp; The older brother and the younger brother both have major faults.&nbsp; The whole human race falls into these two categories from time to time.&nbsp; The only perfect character in the story is the father.&nbsp; God is the good father who is patient with both of his boys.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">So, have you taken the love of God for granted?</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Like the younger son, have you taken your wonderful God-given gift of life and used it to taste all that the world has to offer?&nbsp; Do you spend your days searching for happiness or longing to “live in another land?”&nbsp; Do you not recognize that the love of God rests on you right now?&nbsp; Do you not understand that you are made complete when you are in good standing by serving your father whom loves you?</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Or like the older brother are you a prideful, self-righteous person who is divisive and uncaring for those who are lost?&nbsp; Do you do the right things and therefore believe that God owes you heaven?&nbsp; Hmmm</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Let’s cast those feelings aside and end the sermon today thinking about the wonderful, patience, and enduring love of our Father God.&nbsp; His love has been there since the world was formed and will remain when the earth has passed.&nbsp; The love of God is sustaining force of our world.&nbsp; If God did not love the world it would cease to spin, to grow, to bring forth life.&nbsp; The sun would not rise, gravity would stop, and all of heaven and earth would fail.&nbsp; If God did not love us we would have no hope.&nbsp; But we do have hope because we understand that God, the creator of all things, loves us with an unconditional love.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Are you far from God?&nbsp; Come home today.&nbsp; He is watching for you.&nbsp; Are you standing outside the party?&nbsp; Come inside.&nbsp; He is waiting patiently for you.&nbsp; We will end with the words that the father spoke to the older son, may they be true of us.&nbsp; “My son, you are always with me, everything I have is yours.”</div><div><br /></div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-62743492271530765882015-12-08T07:24:00.000-06:002015-12-08T07:24:32.168-06:00Buying your kids Christmas presentsI'm having a tough time with buying presents this year for my kids. &nbsp;I want to get them all things that they want for several reasons.<br /><br />1. &nbsp;They are really good kids. &nbsp;They can throw their little fits, but ultimately they are just good people.<br />2. &nbsp;They aren't really asking for anything. &nbsp;They are happy with what they got. &nbsp;They're content.<br />3. &nbsp;They are really cute.<br /><br />That's a dangerous combo for a dad. &nbsp;I want to get them all some really nice stuff but I don't want to spoil them and ruin the great people that they already are.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vRSOUIR3XPo/VmbZ-WO2FlI/AAAAAAAABBI/vxLh4D2AfKI/s1600/90_04_38_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vRSOUIR3XPo/VmbZ-WO2FlI/AAAAAAAABBI/vxLh4D2AfKI/s320/90_04_38_web.jpg" width="320" /></a>I wonder if this is the first Christmas, as a dad, that I have enough money to buy them good stuff without going into consumer debt. &nbsp;Maybe I'm having a struggle that you can only have when you hit your mid 30's.<br /><br />My 5th grade son wants a new video game system. &nbsp;He's not asking for it though. &nbsp;He would like to have it but he realizes it's pretty expensive. &nbsp;(He's more mature than I am!) &nbsp;That makes me REALLY want to get it for him. &nbsp;So I've got some Christmas money that was given to me and he's got some cash saved up. &nbsp;So, I can pull the trigger and get him the new game system.<br /><br />But should I?<br /><br />In the long run, would it be better for his development to save his money for a whole year and then couple it with the money he gets at Christmas 2016 and then buy it? &nbsp;Or, should I just let him be a little kid and get a present that is amazing and not make him save up because when he's an adult he won't be able to do stuff like that?<br /><br />And, if I don't get him that system...what present can I give him that he will remember when he's in his 30's? &nbsp;What's a present that will last?<br /><br />Any other parent deal with stuff like this? &nbsp;How do you not spend every cent on your kids at Christmas? &nbsp;:)Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-66840626218668039952015-11-26T18:29:00.000-06:002015-11-26T18:29:25.962-06:00Thanksgiving Dinner 2015I've seen the opposite ends of the spectrum today.<br /><br />This morning my wife organized a Thanksgiving Dinner for some homeless and less fortunate people. &nbsp;We had over 50 people show up to help load the food into containers and deliver it. &nbsp;We had more than that drop by to bring in the food. &nbsp;It was pretty nuts. &nbsp;I didn't even recognize some of the people that helped us out. &nbsp;One guy that showed up was from another state and happened to be in town, heard what we were doing (don't know how), and then wanted to help us. &nbsp;It went really well. &nbsp;People started bringing food in around 9:30am. &nbsp;We had 150 complete meals with desserts ready by about 10:30 or so and then it was all delivered and cleaned up by 11:30. &nbsp;Wow.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_h-he8UnPMc/VlejuNXjJFI/AAAAAAAABAk/2suruYB4QD0/s1600/12278973_10153701742269707_8187756023940646650_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_h-he8UnPMc/VlejuNXjJFI/AAAAAAAABAk/2suruYB4QD0/s320/12278973_10153701742269707_8187756023940646650_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />Just a week ago Mindy was considering canceling because we didn't think we even had enough food for 50 people. &nbsp;When we were all said and done this morning we had run out of containers (150) and had just a little bit of food left over (John 6 - crazy). &nbsp;It was great.<br /><br />When our family, plus a couple teenage girls, left to deliver our meals we drove past several homeless people sitting outside eating meals that people from our church, and group, had already delivered. &nbsp;That was pretty neat.<br /><br />Probably my favorite part was a short conversation I had with a mom. &nbsp;I hadn't met her before and, honestly, I have no idea how she heard about our little "feeding the homeless party." &nbsp;She thanked me for letting her come and help and have her daughter involved in helping people. &nbsp;She told me that she didn't grow up doing this and she wanted her daughter to grow up believing that helping the less fortunate is just something you ought to do. &nbsp;I told her that I try to make this kind of stuff "normal" for my kids.<br /><br />I want my kids to grow up thinking that serving people is normal.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IwxT1akC3z8/VlejuAp0R1I/AAAAAAAABAg/9N7KCygzezo/s1600/11990635_10153701742324707_7881873293206587729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IwxT1akC3z8/VlejuAp0R1I/AAAAAAAABAg/9N7KCygzezo/s320/11990635_10153701742324707_7881873293206587729_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>So I didn't invite them to run to Target with me just after 6pm in order to see if we could get a Wii U for $249.00. &nbsp;It was crazy. &nbsp;There were people everywhere. &nbsp;They were clamoring for all the deals. &nbsp;(I'm not judging - I was there too!) &nbsp;Luckily, they were all out and I didn't have to stand in line for a couple hours to save the $50.<br /><br />I'm proud of my wife for leading this dinner and I'm proud of my kids for helping out and not complaining about it.<br /><br />I think this is how we change the world. &nbsp;It's not about complaining it's about training. &nbsp;It's not about reacting to the ugliness in our world it's about proactively teaching the next generation. &nbsp;It would be great if our kids grew up serving others rather than having nice toys.<br />Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-15904710200020362122015-11-24T06:42:00.002-06:002015-11-24T06:42:17.226-06:00Gratitude is the key to Happiness<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The key to a Joy-filled life is Gratitude</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Life truly is great isn’t it?&nbsp; It really is.&nbsp; Yet, so many of us are so unhappy, discouraged, and unsatisfied.&nbsp; Depression is on the rise.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">It seems that unhappiness is on the rise and we are increasingly becoming an unsatisfied and depressed culture.&nbsp; It’s not hard to look around and see hopelessness, blame, ingratitude, and worry.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">And the great part is - is that we can look around at others and see how terribly ungrateful they are, but we seldom apply that to ourselves.&nbsp; I wonder how many more negative things I say in a day than I do positive things.&nbsp; Do you complain to your spouse about every person that you finish a conversation with?&nbsp; Do you have a debriefing after each human interaction you have?</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">John Yates writes, “Our churches and homes can be places of joy. They will be if we learn some of the secrets of joy. I believe one of the secrets of a joyful spirit is coming to understand the graciousness of God. This mighty, holy, awesome God, whom we worship, is at heart a gracious, generous, giving, compassionate, merciful person who cares about you more than you care about you.&nbsp; If we can come to appreciate and understand this, and let it work its way through our lives—our thoughts, our emotions, our relationships—we can be transformed by the grace of God. We will become more thankful people, and thankful people are joyful people. Thanksgiving Day is nearly here, and it's an appropriate time to reflect on this.”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">It’s normal to be a complainer.&nbsp; I live where you live.&nbsp; It’s normal to complain about the service we received at the restaurant.&nbsp; It’s normal to complain about the price of....well.....everything.&nbsp; It’s normal to say how much harder life to used to be.&nbsp; It’s normal to be negative.&nbsp; It’s normal to take the negative side in conversations.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xsKG8pXeTUU/VlRbEib4GmI/AAAAAAAABAM/I-sSjYX78fI/s1600/6a00d8341c519753ef01543746cac0970c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xsKG8pXeTUU/VlRbEib4GmI/AAAAAAAABAM/I-sSjYX78fI/s1600/6a00d8341c519753ef01543746cac0970c.jpg" /></a><b>I know it is, because it’s such a surprising joy to meet those odd people who have positive, grateful outlooks</b>.&nbsp; You know, those people who seem to be happy and laughing even though, by all comparison, they actually have something big to complain about.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">To battle against our societal norms I believe that Churches need to become places of joy by responding thankfully to God’s graciousness.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Luke 17:7-10, ““Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">This is a good lesson to look at now.&nbsp; Jesus owes us nothing.&nbsp; Jesus is not in debt to us.&nbsp; At no point can we think that Jesus owes us anything.&nbsp; We are merely doing what servants should do.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">You are wonderful.&nbsp; You are important.&nbsp; You are loved.&nbsp; But, don’t take it too far.&nbsp; There is no point where you and Jesus have become equals.&nbsp; You are His servant, he is not yours.&nbsp; Our position to Jesus is always one of servant.&nbsp; He is the Master.&nbsp; We are his servants.&nbsp; When we have done our duty to Jesus he owes us no more than he has already given.&nbsp; In fact, he didn’t owe us that either.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">The first step in finding happiness and joy, is to recognize our proper relationship to Jesus is one of beloved servant.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Now, Jesus has established that we are his servants.&nbsp; We are not equal to him.&nbsp; We should do our duty to our fullest and expect no more than the wonderful gift that He has promised us.&nbsp; He doesn’t need to tip us.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Much like putting out a tip jar makes us feel like we have to tip you, gratitude is rarely expressed.&nbsp; Think over the conversations that you have with people in a day.&nbsp; How much time is devoted to what you are thankful for and how much time is devoted to complaining?</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">We are an entitled people.&nbsp; A sense of entitlement leads to unhappiness.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><b></b><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">From an article in the Wall Street Journal.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">A growing body of research has tied an attitude of gratitude with a number of positive emotional and physical health benefits. A November 2010 article in The Wall Street Journal summarized the research:&nbsp; Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not, according to studies conducted over the past decade. They're also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy, or alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly, and have greater resistance to viral infections.&nbsp; Now, researchers are finding that gratitude brings similar benefits in children and adolescents. [Studies also show that] kids who feel and act grateful tend to be less materialistic, get better grades, set higher goals, complain of fewer headaches and stomach aches, and feel more satisfied with their friends, families, and schools than those who don't.&nbsp; The researchers concluded, "A lot of these findings are things we learned in kindergarten or our grandmothers told us, but now we have scientific evidence to prove them …. The key is not to leave it on the Thanksgiving table."</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">All that we have is a gift.&nbsp; It’s the ability to see it that way that’s the key to a happy life.</div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-51980948507630017422015-11-06T07:14:00.001-06:002015-11-06T07:20:05.989-06:00Keeping them safe just isn't enough<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mbwftgME0kE/VjynOtr4t9I/AAAAAAAAA_0/4krJAJFMeyc/s1600/training-wheels-e1355950266171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mbwftgME0kE/VjynOtr4t9I/AAAAAAAAA_0/4krJAJFMeyc/s320/training-wheels-e1355950266171.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://ijm.org/bios/gary-haugen" target="_blank">Gary Haugen</a>, president and CEO of <a href="https://ijm.org/" target="_blank">International Justice Mission</a>, a Christian organization dedicated to fighting sex trafficking, writes, After we have poured into our children all the good food and shelter and clothing, after we have provided them with great education, discipline, structure and love, after we have worked so hard to provide every good thing, they turn to us and ask, "Why have you given all of this to me.”&nbsp; And the honest answer from me is, "So you'll be safe.”&nbsp; And my kid looks up at me and says, "Really? That's it? You want me to be safe? Your grand ambition for my life is that nothing bad happens?”&nbsp; And I think something inside them dies. They either go away to perish in safety, or they go away looking for adventure in the wrong places. Jesus, on the other hand, affirms their sense of adventure and their yearning for larger glory."</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;">J<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">esus was completely reckless with His disciples.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;">He asked them to do things that were humanly impossible.&nbsp; They healed people, headed out in storms, walked into forbidden and dangerous territory, they went into the wrong places at the wrong times.&nbsp; Jesus asked them to trust Him over their own good sense.&nbsp; He sent them out as sheep among wolves.&nbsp; He equipped this little band of people to completely change the world.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;">It can seem so unadventurous for us as we live in this safe christian bubble.&nbsp; Jesus didn’t say anyone who wants to live must run into my bomb shelter and try to survive the storms of life so that we can live long enough to make it into Heaven and avoid all the bad stuff.&nbsp; Jesus asked us to come to Him and die, so that we could live.&nbsp; He said that things will actually get tougher when you are following Him.&nbsp; People will misunderstand you.&nbsp; Satan will attack you.&nbsp; For some people they would have to leave their families beliefs or values.&nbsp; They’d have to live honestly and respectfully in a world that can take advantage of those types of people.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;">It wouldn’t be fun if their was no challenge though.&nbsp; We need a little adventure don’t we?&nbsp; Don’t we have a spark within us that needs to do something a little crazy? &nbsp;</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fawNn3hysf0/Vjymo0GAznI/AAAAAAAAA_s/d9Iq6xndbwg/s1600/51KQ1TsJmxL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fawNn3hysf0/Vjymo0GAznI/AAAAAAAAA_s/d9Iq6xndbwg/s320/51KQ1TsJmxL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="207" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Just-Courage-Expedition-Restless-Christian/dp/083083494X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1446815975&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=just+courage" target="_blank">From that same book</a>- <i>“There must be more to the Christian life than this--more than church each Sunday and waving to my neighbors and giving some clothes to Goodwill when I go through my closet each spring."</i> These aren't bad things, of course. But they're safe and comfortable and easy. And there's a reason they're not satisfying your desire for something more significant and meaningful--we're created by God for adventure."</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;">Yes, we would like our kids to be safe.&nbsp; I’d rather my kids see life not as something to be afraid of but as an adventure.&nbsp; And may I be the type of father who fills them with encouragement to have the faith to throw everything away in order to take a hold of the glorious life that God has for them.&nbsp; May I lead them by my example to not let fear silence me or cause me to stop, but to live courageously.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;">May it not be our goal to die healthy and full of years, but rather to live each day with the courage to chase the adventure that God is leading us through and not let fear stop us from working towards the final end - to sit next our savior, our leader, and our hero, Jesus and hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; line-height: normal;">God has numbered our days.&nbsp; We get only so many of them.&nbsp; Let’s not worry about wasting them or storing them up or try to get more or less of them….</div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-35685705948112017072015-10-29T09:15:00.001-05:002015-10-29T11:56:01.258-05:00What I wish your dad had said to youI'm sorry that your dad didn't stick around. &nbsp;I'm sorry if you never got to know him. &nbsp;I'm sorry if your dad physically stuck around but emotionally left. &nbsp;I certainly don't know your circumstance or where you came from. &nbsp;Even if I did know those things I don't think a person can ever truly understand what is going on in someone else's head.<br /><br />I wish there was more that I could do. &nbsp;I mean that. &nbsp;Almost every single time that I get to do a good "dad" thing I think about it. &nbsp;I think about you and what you didn't have. &nbsp;I thought about it when I took my oldest daughter to pick out some clothes at goodwill. &nbsp;She complained that she wanted some new clothes from a popular store. &nbsp;I kept putting her off. &nbsp;I put her off for at least an hour and 2 or 3 goodwills. &nbsp;She kept persisting. &nbsp;I finally just told her, "Honey, I'm sorry but we can't really afford to get you new clothes at that store. &nbsp;Mommy and I have 4 kids and we have to buy several pairs of shoes this month. &nbsp;The sport that you just started required an investment from us. &nbsp;We need new tires and the AC went out just a month ago. &nbsp;If we only had two kids you'd have better clothes. &nbsp;It's embarrassing for dad to admit that. &nbsp;I'm sorry honey. &nbsp;I really would love to buy you better clothes, but just can't responsibly make that decision." &nbsp;In all of her 12 year old wisdom she replied, "Oh dad. &nbsp;I'm sorry I was complaining. &nbsp;Why didn't you just tell me that? &nbsp;I understand." &nbsp;Yes, I thought of that. &nbsp;I thought about you. &nbsp;I wish your dad had the courage to tell you that. &nbsp;I wish he had been there to teach you that lesson. &nbsp;I wish he had helped you navigate life.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-erqaKzWbJoc/VjIo3_N6YcI/AAAAAAAAA_M/j8SEjFVR60M/s1600/IMG_5454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-erqaKzWbJoc/VjIo3_N6YcI/AAAAAAAAA_M/j8SEjFVR60M/s320/IMG_5454.JPG" width="240" /></a>I think about you when I'm sitting in my chair watching some dumb show on Disney with one of my younger kids. &nbsp;I think about it when I am encouraging a child who is having a hard time. &nbsp;I think about it when I'm celebrating with ice cream because of an accomplishment that has happened amongst our kids. &nbsp;I think about you. &nbsp;I wish your dad would have said these things to you.<br /><br />He didn't. &nbsp;I'm sorry. &nbsp;So here's what I wish your dad would have said to you.<br /><br />1) You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. &nbsp;You, your mom, and your siblings are my entire life. &nbsp;I work so hard because I want to provide you with everything that you deserve. &nbsp;Yes, you deserve those nice clothes. &nbsp;You deserve that new video game system. &nbsp;You deserve the family vacation. &nbsp;I don't care about having a ton of money, but I want to be able to spend a ton of money on you. &nbsp;Being called "dad" is the greatest title I could ever wish to attain and you gave that to me.<br /><br />2) Dear daughter - you are beautiful. &nbsp;If people tell you otherwise, well then they are just really stupid. &nbsp;No man knows you as well as I do. &nbsp;I have known you since you were in your mommy's tummy. &nbsp;You were even cute back then. &nbsp;You are perfect. &nbsp;There is not one thing in your appearance that I would change. &nbsp;Even if you like to wear those weird shoes that I don't understand. &nbsp;If some boy doesn't like everything about you, than he doesn't deserve your time. &nbsp;I like everything about your mom. &nbsp;It's possible.<br /><br />3) Son - you've got it. &nbsp;You are the whole package. &nbsp;You have everything it takes to change this world. &nbsp;Take courage and don't let fear into your heart. &nbsp;I believe in you. &nbsp;I've seen you comfort a sick animal. &nbsp;I've seen you cry when an injustice is committed in a television show. &nbsp;I've seen your rage when someone is oppressed or bullied. &nbsp;You have honor within you. &nbsp;When people tell you that you aren't good enough, well, they're pretty stupid too. &nbsp;Don't think that the highest calling of life is to have sex. It's not. &nbsp;A real man rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, leads courageously, and expects the greater reward. &nbsp;You have all the making of being a better man than me.<br /><br />4) &nbsp;I get joy just from thinking about you. &nbsp;The way you used to say "puffy" because your little lips couldn't form the word "puppy." &nbsp;The picture that I keep in my memory of what you looked like running through the sprinkler. &nbsp;I don't get joy where you think I get it. &nbsp;Sure I care about your grades and accomplishments, but I love you because you are you. &nbsp;I couldn't have made you any better. &nbsp;That's why I complain when you start to dress like or imitate some celebrity or popular friend. &nbsp;I don't care about them a fraction of how much I care about you. &nbsp;Be you. &nbsp;I love you.<br /><br />5) You make me cry almost every day. &nbsp;I know that I complain about how loud you are and what a mess you make in my vehicle, but I don't really care about that stuff. &nbsp;For some reason, you are more important to me than I am to me. &nbsp;There's pretty much nothing that can make me cry anymore. &nbsp;Well, unless it has to do with you. &nbsp;I can think about you and have tears rolling down my face before I even understand why.<br /><br />You are good. &nbsp;You are worth fighting for. &nbsp;You are always on my mind. &nbsp;You have the keys to my heart.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-64901844533255241162015-10-28T07:18:00.001-05:002015-10-28T07:18:53.925-05:00King of Kings<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">Someone’s in charge.&nbsp; It’s not you.&nbsp; You already know that though, don’t you?&nbsp; It’s not the universe.&nbsp; It’s not public opinion, or the media, or some super-secret group of powerful people.&nbsp; It’s God.&nbsp; The immortal, invisible, and all-powerful Creator of all.&nbsp; He’s the king.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">This king is not a long ways away.&nbsp; He is present here and now.&nbsp; He loves you.&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; Well, that’s what He does.&nbsp; His document for us, the Bible, bleeds with an embarrassment of just how much He loves you.&nbsp; The Bible isn’t your source?&nbsp; No worries.&nbsp; He created everything around you.&nbsp; The love and encouragement that you receive from your friends and/or family?&nbsp; His idea.&nbsp; The beauty in the waves, the mountains, and the setting sun?&nbsp; All His work.&nbsp; He didn’t just create it.&nbsp; He makes is happen every time.&nbsp; Every molecule in this world is guided by the direct work of His hands.&nbsp; The joy you get from pouring your life into a cause?&nbsp; Yep, He made that just for you.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">God is the King and He’s in charge.&nbsp; You aren’t.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-158UkoCW1f0/VjC9D9jbUcI/AAAAAAAAA-4/vaDJaogNw-0/s1600/king%2Bof%2Bkings.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-158UkoCW1f0/VjC9D9jbUcI/AAAAAAAAA-4/vaDJaogNw-0/s320/king%2Bof%2Bkings.jpeg" width="320" /></a>Join us as we work through God’s words in the book of Malachi.&nbsp; The book isn’t about Malachi.&nbsp; Nobody knows who he was.&nbsp; It’s the last book in the Old Testament and it contains the most direct words from God recorded in any of the other prophetical books.&nbsp; God’s words in Malachi are old, but they have lost none of their cutting edge towards the heart of nominal, easy going, passionless, “going through the motions, lifeless religion.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">It’s not about religion.&nbsp; It’s about a relationship.&nbsp; A relationship with the King. &nbsp;New sermon series 11/15 - 12/6. &nbsp;Join us at <a href="http://westsidechristianchurch.com/" target="_blank">Westside</a>.</div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-11995098269972254262015-10-27T15:07:00.000-05:002015-10-27T15:07:32.769-05:00You can change a child's world.As long as I have been a Christian I have felt a weight on my shoulders to help those who can't help themselves. &nbsp;(This isn't a "I'm a hero" post. &nbsp;I've done so little about that burden, other than just feel it.) &nbsp;Helping people who need help is a strong value in the Christian faith.<br /><div><br /></div><div>I first started feeling this burden when I was a weekend youth pastor. &nbsp;In college, Mindy and I would drive about an hour, each way, to serve at a little church with about 5-7 middle school and high schoolers. &nbsp;I saw what some of those kids were going through and I thought that the only way to really make things better for them was to bring them into my home. &nbsp;I didn't. &nbsp;We couldn't. &nbsp;But that thought never left me, "If you want to really change someone's life you have to let them live with you."</div><div><br /></div><div>Several years passed and our family was blessed with having a young woman move in with us. &nbsp;At the time, it was a tremendous leap of faith for me. &nbsp;I was in my role as protector and provider for my wife and kids. &nbsp;I didn't know how to relate to this young woman who took up residence in our home. &nbsp;All I know is that God had led her to our home and I needed to be the best person I could be. &nbsp;It was a time of growth for me. &nbsp;I had someone who could see me, in my element, that wasn't related to me. &nbsp;She would witness me get angry, pout, and be a slob. &nbsp;It was so rewarding though. &nbsp;The personal growth was great. &nbsp;Her incredible relationship with my kids, and also her relationship with my wife were all great things. &nbsp;It wasn't all easy. &nbsp;I had to sacrifice some of my time with my wife. &nbsp;I lost my basement. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>However, I was surprised at how easy it was to let someone come into your house and life. &nbsp;The rewards were far more than the sacrifices. &nbsp;It almost became mundane. &nbsp;It just made our lives "bigger." &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>She left and we had the house to just our family. &nbsp;Then my wife told me that God wanted us to adopt a baby. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Uh.....</div><div><br /></div><div>That's a life-long thing! &nbsp;You can have someone live with you for a while and then they move out. &nbsp;A child is a completely different story. &nbsp;At the time I was the only Pastor on staff of a church of about 200, going full-time to graduate school, and the sole provider for the family of 5. &nbsp;But she was persistent and I believe that my wife tells the truth - so I believe that God talked with her and asked her to adopt. &nbsp;So who am I to tell her, and God, no? &nbsp;I went along with it. &nbsp;She did most of the work, if not all of it.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgmQHD0P2G0/Vi_Yi-EiPSI/AAAAAAAAA-k/uYBFx8TpRCg/s1600/DSC02084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgmQHD0P2G0/Vi_Yi-EiPSI/AAAAAAAAA-k/uYBFx8TpRCg/s1600/DSC02084.jpg" /></a>So we adopted a little boy from Uganda. &nbsp;It didn't ruin the whole family. &nbsp;It brought us all even closer together. &nbsp;Going through that experience with our biological children was an intense and rewarding time of bonding and growing. &nbsp;Right now I'm blessed with 4 kids who are all great kids who are good people and love Jesus, and one of the biggest factors for that is the journey we all took together through opening up our home and family to add another member by choice not by birth.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was worried that we would add a child to our family at the expense of our biological kids. &nbsp;I learned that the opposite happens. &nbsp;It's those moments of opportunity that change our lives. &nbsp;Maybe this is your moment of opportunity.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jody Jester, from <a href="https://www.bridgealife.com/" target="_blank">Bridge a Life</a>, writes; "<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Nationally, the number of kids in foster care was 415,129 in 2014... up from 401,000 in 2013. Currently, Florida has the highest number of kids in care since 2008.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">&nbsp;</span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">These are tomorrow's adults. Everyone can do something. <b>What may seem small to you may mean the world to a kid in care."</b></span><br /><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div>You can bring one child into your home and change their entire world. &nbsp;I know that you desire adventure. &nbsp;I know that you want your life to matter. &nbsp;I'm sure that you want your kids to grow up well and with a strong sense of family. &nbsp;I know that you want your marriage to mean more than just a partnership. &nbsp;I know that you want your life to count. &nbsp;I know I'm not the only one that thinks about stuff like that. &nbsp;I know that you want to make a difference and help. &nbsp;I know that you are as sick of the news as I am. &nbsp;If you are from my area, Bradenton, than you have just read two news stories about parents killing their own children. &nbsp;You may look at that and be completely paralyzed by it. &nbsp;Or you may look at that news and feel a call to action. &nbsp;Are you ready to care for an abused and abandoned child?</div><div><br /></div><div>You cannot change the world. &nbsp;But you can change the world for a child.</div><div><br /></div><div>Want to learn more?</div><div><br /></div><div>If you live in the Bradenton area - mark your calendar for Friday, January 29th. &nbsp;We will be hosting a 1-1-1 event where you can hear all about fostering and adopting. &nbsp;It's simply informative with no pressure to sign up. &nbsp;There will also be several local agencies on hand to help answer questions and give you the opportunity to get involved.<br /><br />If you think that you should do this and want to talk with someone I'd love to talk with you about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Check out these local programs:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://safechildrencoalition.org/">http://safechildrencoalition.org</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.bridgealife.com/">https://www.bridgealife.com</a></div><div><br /><br />For the longer version of our story of Silas' adoption:&nbsp;<a href="http://timboyd.blogspot.com/2012/02/our-little-adoption.html">http://timboyd.blogspot.com/2012/02/our-little-adoption.html</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-31097463504377759322015-10-20T19:43:00.000-05:002015-10-20T19:43:20.797-05:00Peter Cetera<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0cv37oSWSFQ/ViZ3ynN5cuI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/52D9EQHzUSM/s1600/cetera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0cv37oSWSFQ/ViZ3ynN5cuI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/52D9EQHzUSM/s320/cetera.jpg" width="320" /></a>I listen to <a href="http://www.pandora.com/" target="_blank">Pandora</a> at work almost all day. &nbsp;I've found that if I am picking what I'm listening to than I focus less on work and think too much about the music, but if I let Pandora make my choices than it fades into the background. &nbsp;My <a href="http://www.pandora.com/" target="_blank">Pandora</a> is mostly a mix of Dave Matthews, folksy worship, people that sound like Marvin Gaye, and 80's soft rock classics. &nbsp;I know, I know. &nbsp;I'm the coolest person you know.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This didn't just happen. &nbsp;I have had the same "station" for 3 years now. &nbsp;I am the kind of person that will thumbs up and thumbs down so that the algorithm can match my taste exactly. &nbsp;I think I have arrived. &nbsp;I seldom have to select anything. &nbsp;It just knows how I'm feeling and what I need to hear.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You know what I need to hear? &nbsp;I need to hear Peter Cetera. &nbsp;I can't get enough of him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Obviously this has bothered me for over a year now. &nbsp;If you were addicted to the music of Peter Cetera wouldn't you be a little bothered as well. &nbsp;I contemplated why I care so much about his music. &nbsp;Why is that when his voice comes across my Pandora feed I have to stop and just listen to the song? &nbsp;I figured it out this week.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It reminds me of riding with my dad in his Caprice Classic home from the driving range in Rapid City, SD when I was in early elementary school. &nbsp;He would turn on his light rock station and I would fall asleep in the passenger seat of the car. &nbsp;I would try so hard to stay awake, but I just couldn't do it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I didn't realize it at the time, but my life was perfect back then. &nbsp;I had no worries. &nbsp;The world was huge and full of possibility. &nbsp;I believed I could do anything and I never heard negative voices. &nbsp;Maybe I did, but I didn't listen to them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Peter Cetera's voice takes me back to that front seat next to my dad living in peace. &nbsp;I love that memory. &nbsp;I hope that I'm making those for my kids. &nbsp;I wonder what weird music they will relate to me...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bQOBeCArfk0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bQOBeCArfk0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div><br />Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-13557568742832243632015-10-15T11:33:00.000-05:002015-10-15T11:44:27.978-05:00Why? Why dad? Dad why? Why?Two mornings ago I outlawed a word in our family. &nbsp;I reached the breaking point. &nbsp;With the two youngest in the kitchen I just blurted out, "You can no longer say "why!" &nbsp;That word can make my ears start to bleed. &nbsp;It can make me feel disrespected or untrusted. &nbsp;It can make me snap like few other words. &nbsp;There are times when it feels like it's the only word that they say, whether it's the 12 year old or the 4 year old.<br /><br />Go get your shoes on. &nbsp;Why?<br /><br />Do you have your homework ready? &nbsp;Why?<br /><br />Time for dinner? &nbsp;Why?<br /><br />Why do we have to go to school?<br /><br />Why is their no church tonight?<br /><br />Why is this toy broken?<br /><br />Why? &nbsp;Why? &nbsp;Why?<br /><br />Kids ask questions. &nbsp;Aside from being smaller than adults, that may be the most defining characteristic that they have - an incessant desire to ask questions. &nbsp;Some of the questions are so ridiculous too. &nbsp;My wife has been talking about this one and we get a great laugh out of it. &nbsp;For example...<br /><br />Why do I wear socks?<br /><br />Why did I just say that?<br /><br />How did I walk in there?<br /><br />Are you kidding me?! &nbsp;I'm not sure what to call those questions but they are the unanswerable questions that bother me to no end. &nbsp;How do I answer those? &nbsp;Are they even thinking before asking the questions? &nbsp;Really, you're asking me why you said something? &nbsp;How on earth would I know? &nbsp;Am I supposed to answer or are you just talking? &nbsp;haha.<br /><br />Kids are great. &nbsp;They force you to think.<br /><br />Last night, at small group, the point of our study was the incessant questions that the disciples asked Jesus. &nbsp;The study pulled out all the places where the disciples were asking Jesus everything. &nbsp;It seemed so much like mornings around our house. &nbsp;Mindy and I laughed out loud at the point the speaker was making. &nbsp;He said all the disciples asked question after question after question about Jesus. &nbsp;I had never thought of that. &nbsp;It's totally true though.<br /><br />Jesus, why?<br /><br />Jesus, why do people suffer?<br /><br />Jesus, where are you going?<br /><br />Jesus, when are you going to take power?<br /><br />Jesus, why are you going that way?<br /><br />Jesus, why are you eating?<br /><br />Jesus, why aren't you eating?<br /><br />Jesus, why are you sleeping? &nbsp;(You know your kid has asked you this!)<br /><br />Jesus, how are we going to do this?<br /><br />Jesus, why did you say that?<br /><br />Jesus....<br /><br />He kept answering the questions. &nbsp;I wonder if He got as sick of it as I do as a parent.<br /><br />When Jesus told his close friends that He was leaving they asked him questions. &nbsp;He told them that He was going to leave and then He was going to come back. &nbsp;He said that they would have a time of grief when He was gone, but then joy when He came back. &nbsp;Then He said "In that day you will no longer ask me anything." &nbsp;I'm sure they then said, "why?"<br /><br />In that day you will no longer ask me anything. &nbsp;Hmm.<br /><br />We have a lot of questions for Jesus. &nbsp;I do. &nbsp;Why is their suffering in the world? &nbsp;Why don't some couples get to have babies? &nbsp;Why do some mean people prosper and some amazing people suffer? &nbsp;Why is their so much hate in our world? &nbsp;Why do kids get sick? &nbsp;Why do some people get great health care and some die of preventable stuff?<br /><br />Jesus says that one day He will come back and their will be no more questions. &nbsp;I'm excited for that day. &nbsp;I don't want to ask any more questions. &nbsp;I don't need all the answers. &nbsp;I have found out that I need to know the "why" less and less as a relationship grows. &nbsp;I ask my wife "why" a whole lot less than I used to. &nbsp;I know her motivation is always out of love for me. &nbsp;If I doubt, I fall back on our 15 years of experience and trust her. &nbsp;I would like a relationship of mutual love and trust, like I have with my wife, with the Creator of all life and the one who holds the earth and all eternity in His hands. &nbsp;I can have that if I have trust in Him. &nbsp;I can still ask questions, but I don't hang on the answers because I trust that He loves me and He loves all of us.<br /><br />Also, I'm glad my kids ask me questions because it means that they are smart and growing and trust me to be able to answer. &nbsp;I will continue to answer their questions and I will continue to get annoyed by the same questions. &nbsp;I will continue to ask God questions and I will look forward to the day when I no longer have to ask any questions.<br /><br /><br />Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-84477865074788367972015-10-08T13:53:00.000-05:002015-10-08T13:59:20.316-05:00Mommy's got a baby in her tummy<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">I like to do big things.&nbsp; I like to take little moments and make way too much about them.&nbsp; It doesn’t always work out well for me or those around me.&nbsp; After I mow the lawn I will comment about how nice our yard looks about 100 times that day.&nbsp; It’s not because I’m trying to draw attention to my work or that I am looking for praise, I’m just really captivated by how nice the yard looks when it’s freshly mowed.&nbsp; I do the same thing with food.&nbsp; I will talk about “that one meal” way too much, even to the point that I am annoying myself with it.&nbsp; But I can’t stop making big things out of small things.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Strike that.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">I want to be a dad, husband, and friend who makes things a big deal.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">So, when it came time for Mindy and I to announce to the kids that we were going to have a baby I knew that we had to do something fun.&nbsp; We settled with having our friend take pictures of the moment when we told the kids so that we will be able to keep that moment alive forever in print.&nbsp; I also thought it would be a really “big” and fun way to announce the pregnancy to our friends on Facebook.&nbsp; We had pictures scheduled for a Friday and I made the sign and had it printed that morning.&nbsp; It was almost an afterthought.&nbsp; I’m really glad I did think of that.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Friday night came around and we headed out to the beach.&nbsp; We got some individual pictures of the kids and then came the time for the big reveal.&nbsp; Wow.&nbsp; It was so much fun.&nbsp; Honestly, the pictures turned out WAAAAAYYYY better than I could have imagined.&nbsp; The kids were shocked!&nbsp; They had absolutely no idea.&nbsp; We were a little worried that they might be sad or disappointed.&nbsp; (Just do the math kids!)&nbsp; They didn’t think about number of bedrooms, the economy, daddy’s salary, our minivan, or the fact that we got rid of our crib already.&nbsp; No, you just got to see it “sink in.”&nbsp; It was amazing how well the pictures captured the idea sinking in to the kid’s brains.&nbsp; And, it is amazing to have these pictures to be able to show this child.&nbsp; To let this newest one know that we have loved you since the beginning!&nbsp; There is one picture that is, probably, my favorite possession now.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">I like to make things big.&nbsp; So I decided to submit them to a couple of websites and then it started to take off in our little corner of the world.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">I submitted these photos because I thought they were just beautiful and people needed to see them.&nbsp; To see these kids completely shocked and overjoyed with news of a new baby was priceless.&nbsp; To me it is an incredible picture of how beautifully God has made love, made the family, and made the human heart.&nbsp; These pictures, to me, capture the glory of God in a way that I’ve never witnessed before.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">I was not expecting some of what happened next.&nbsp; People started to comment about the one black child in the family.&nbsp; It was shocking because Silas has been apart of our family so long that it’s just a part of “us.”&nbsp; I forgot that it’s a little different than some families.&nbsp; (How can you forget that right?)&nbsp; Some of the comments were just terrible.&nbsp; They were terrible because they were “just jokes.”&nbsp; If you have to defend yourself for “just making a joke” then you probably shouldn’t have made the joke.&nbsp; It would be best to just ask for forgiveness and learn something.&nbsp; Also, there aren’t “just jokes.”&nbsp; Especially if you aren’t even a part of the circle of that group.&nbsp; I was shocked, shamed, and embarrassed.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">I instantly thought that I needed to contact these places and ask them to remove the photos because of the comments.&nbsp; But, I couldn’t.&nbsp; I knew that I couldn’t.&nbsp; I knew that I couldn’t comment.&nbsp; I knew that these pictures had to stay there.&nbsp; I couldn’t ask them to take the pictures down because the pictures are much bigger than my feelings or my kid’s feelings.&nbsp; These pictures show, in such an innocent and raw form, the overwhelming beauty of true love.&nbsp; And the world needs to see true love. &nbsp;</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">Like I’ve already said, sometimes I make big things out of small things.&nbsp; I’m not going to quit doing that.&nbsp; Like one great philosopher once said, “haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.”&nbsp; I cannot let the actions, words, and keystrokes from some lost and hurting people shame me into living my life in a corner.&nbsp; I will continue to overshare, be overjoyed, smile too much, laugh too much, and love those who don’t love me.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">I will also continue to make big deals out of small things, because everything in life is a big deal.&nbsp; Right now you are sitting on a sphere that is rotating and revolving around a gaseous ball of fire in a group of rocks and balls of gas that are rotating around other rocks and balls of gas.&nbsp; Your body it taking in oxygen, involuntarily, and somehow supporting your life.&nbsp; You are thinking.&nbsp; As in your brain is actually forming thoughts that you are understanding. &nbsp;These thoughts elicit actions from your body as well as emotions that can make you feel things. &nbsp;How the crap is that not a big deal?&nbsp; The sun “rose” this morning.&nbsp; Can you believe that?&nbsp; There is just enough oxygen, nitrogen, and other stuff in such an intricate balance to sustain your life.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">All of life is a big deal.&nbsp; Thank God.&nbsp; And love, love is always a big deal. &nbsp;Praise God. &nbsp;I know that there is a lot in this world that is wrong. &nbsp;But praise God for the work He has done and work He continues to do. &nbsp;Thank you God for pure, innocent love. &nbsp;Thank you for family. &nbsp;Thank you for those wonderful souls who choose to forgive, to have patience, and love those who seem very unlovable.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">You know what? &nbsp;I want to get these picture on Good Morning America. &nbsp;There I said it.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iN0IgIaw_Ps/Vha4OaVSHTI/AAAAAAAAA40/P8nejxliZBI/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iN0IgIaw_Ps/Vha4OaVSHTI/AAAAAAAAA40/P8nejxliZBI/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tnTTCy7eJNA/Vha4RAKfjiI/AAAAAAAAA5c/0HqJ-eKLvA4/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tnTTCy7eJNA/Vha4RAKfjiI/AAAAAAAAA5c/0HqJ-eKLvA4/s640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yLXljxbmTYI/Vha4R5zk64I/AAAAAAAAA5g/oIaxZlYGtq4/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yLXljxbmTYI/Vha4R5zk64I/AAAAAAAAA5g/oIaxZlYGtq4/s640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOeJALN9WOc/Vha4SATGW8I/AAAAAAAAA5o/FzZIuGAtG4g/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOeJALN9WOc/Vha4SATGW8I/AAAAAAAAA5o/FzZIuGAtG4g/s640/4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T2pj09NOR40/Vha4SfA30fI/AAAAAAAAA5s/lRmOdmcLhTw/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T2pj09NOR40/Vha4SfA30fI/AAAAAAAAA5s/lRmOdmcLhTw/s640/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tlTASifLPOA/Vha4S__n1bI/AAAAAAAAA50/5o56zusoDeI/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tlTASifLPOA/Vha4S__n1bI/AAAAAAAAA50/5o56zusoDeI/s640/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyutFpKuJLo/Vha4Tc1tC2I/AAAAAAAAA58/OR9ZETtiixw/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyutFpKuJLo/Vha4Tc1tC2I/AAAAAAAAA58/OR9ZETtiixw/s640/7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DbHYF3lo2U4/Vha4TiJRBOI/AAAAAAAAA6I/w64SysI6EoM/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DbHYF3lo2U4/Vha4TiJRBOI/AAAAAAAAA6I/w64SysI6EoM/s640/8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Priceless - Look at Will's face.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zGyUARjhAEk/Vha4UJS-RMI/AAAAAAAAA6A/6o4oMDcZZXE/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zGyUARjhAEk/Vha4UJS-RMI/AAAAAAAAA6A/6o4oMDcZZXE/s640/9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvEU3zYPt_w/Vha4OThjU3I/AAAAAAAAA4w/uENkaNCkju4/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvEU3zYPt_w/Vha4OThjU3I/AAAAAAAAA4w/uENkaNCkju4/s640/10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QpTvT5dI0o4/Vha4OULLkUI/AAAAAAAAA44/iH19sr0H5Rc/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QpTvT5dI0o4/Vha4OULLkUI/AAAAAAAAA44/iH19sr0H5Rc/s640/11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7d1q-sov-nM/Vha4P0kpEkI/AAAAAAAAA5E/UwmiH6s1zQI/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7d1q-sov-nM/Vha4P0kpEkI/AAAAAAAAA5E/UwmiH6s1zQI/s640/12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mDNABZ6yMrA/Vha4QdM6veI/AAAAAAAAA5M/xOCq0plPdkQ/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mDNABZ6yMrA/Vha4QdM6veI/AAAAAAAAA5M/xOCq0plPdkQ/s640/13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQZrn2irZxc/Vha4QimQ-bI/AAAAAAAAA5U/bMIhbzw4fdY/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQZrn2irZxc/Vha4QimQ-bI/AAAAAAAAA5U/bMIhbzw4fdY/s640/14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><br /></div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695041939668386580.post-9797303304960727672015-09-22T08:45:00.002-05:002015-09-22T08:47:09.805-05:00Break Camp<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">Break Camp</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">At the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses addresses a weary people who have been through a lot.&nbsp; They have seen the highs and lows of life.&nbsp; They have experienced God’s miraculous work and they have bared the brunt of God’s punishment.&nbsp; They’ve been attacked.&nbsp; They’ve been rescued.&nbsp; They’ve experience hunger and plenty.&nbsp; They have had their share of boring days. &nbsp;But mostly, they have been stuck walking in circles.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">Are you stuck?</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgyzTVNYmis/VgFbKzsWQzI/AAAAAAAAA4U/KJmunJF0QJY/s1600/breakcamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgyzTVNYmis/VgFbKzsWQzI/AAAAAAAAA4U/KJmunJF0QJY/s320/breakcamp.jpg" width="320" /></a>God's message to them was, “The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. <span style="font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span>Break camp and advance…””</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">In what area of your life do you need to “break camp?”&nbsp; Are you stable and comfortable and wondering what you should do now?&nbsp; Instead of buying a new sports car to cope with your sense of meaningless or boredom, maybe you can get involved in a long-term relationship with an organization providing food and medical care for the needy in your community or on another continent.&nbsp; Is it time to “break camp” in your marriage, move past yourself, and start to lead your spouse to accomplish his or her dream?</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">Where have you “stayed long enough?”&nbsp; Is there a big step that you have been putting off for a long time?&nbsp; Why haven’t you taken it?&nbsp; Why can’t you do it now?&nbsp; Do you have an idea that could solve a problem within your community or another community?&nbsp; Maybe you’ve stayed long enough in the shadows and it’s time to make some connections and start some conversations.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">I’m guessing that this message is timely in your life.&nbsp; I’ll bet you already identified something.&nbsp; Join us for the next 6 weeks as we dig into God’s words to them and to us.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">September 27th - November 1st&nbsp;@ <a href="http://www.westsidechristianchurch.com/" target="_blank">Westside Christian Church</a></div>Tim Boydhttps://plus.google.com/105115538838165414393noreply@blogger.com0